Never Look Back
by DearLizzie
Summary: Gossip Girl looks back on the events following 'Empire of the Son.' - My version of the last five episodes. Includes the full cast. DB, Nate/Raina and bits of CB, DS and NS.
1. Prologue

Authors Note: Just a quick rundown of what this story will be, and what it will be like. First and foremost, I've never written a story based on GG, but I've been inspired by the show lately. This story will not be solely based on one pairing, or one character, (although some will feature more than others.) it will be set out as though it was an episode, all recounted by Gossip Girl herself to her readers, but in descriptive form just so it makes sense as a story. This is a hiatus story depicting what I would have written to happen in the last five episodes. It will be two chapters equalling one episode, unless I decide to deviate slightly. This chapter is just a small prologue in the form of a gossip girl message. I'll post a real meaty chapter in the next couple of days, and then update probably every few days after that. Okay, I know this is a nothing chapter really, but please stick with me. Please review to ask any questions, and I'll answer them.

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"_Never Look Back" _

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: December 2011 - Update.

Gossip Girl here,

Come one, come all to the circus that is the Upper East Side. For those of you that have missed this years events, where have you been?

Fine, I'll tell you.

Voltaire said 'Common sense is not common', and at no time was this more true than in the following tale of scrumptous deceit and betrayal.

But from the darkness, there is light, and I'm as light as a feather!

So, you will recall, it all started on such a delicious note. Lonely Boy and B, who would have thought it! That is something you know even I could not predict. Then we have poor C in full meltdown after the news about Bart. Oh, and not forgetting N and R embarking on a new romance.

But there's so much more to tell!

I could go on, but I will save that for another post, which will be here sooner than you think!

So enjoy.

xoxo


	2. The Kids Stay in the Picture  Part I

_AN: I'll be shifting perspectives a lot in this story from paragraph to paragraph. It makes it easier to describe than doing it all in third person._

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To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: Enjoy!

Gossip Girl here,

Are sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin!

xoxo

* * *

It started with a feeling of dread. Then a slight tingle in her lips as their kiss deepened. Then before she knew it, Dan had pushed her backwards with enthusiasm towards the wall behind them, and she hadn't objected. It felt strangely like the feeling you get when you wake up in the morning, open the window, and you feel the fresh breeze of a new day. More amazing than anything she had felt in a long time.

Dan had gone into this whole situation extremely confused and sceptical. He had just wanted to prove his dad wrong, and Darota wrong, and every little doubt in his brain wrong that him and Blair could ever _be _something. Something more than reluctant friends. He certainly hadn't expected this to be a positive experience. Or this addictive.

"Humphrey..." Blair attempted to murmur, while still lip locked.

Dan only half heard her through his intense concentration. "What?" He said, eyes still not open.

"I can hear something..." She said, while they fell back onto one of the loungers, still persisting.

"I can't, just let this happen, Blair..."

There was definitely something making a sound behind Dan. Before she could do anything though, clothes seemed to just fly off both of them like magic, as if Dan had performed some kind of trick. Blair immediately went back to moving her hands up and down his body.

The elevator then made a loud _beep_ sound. Neither of them could ignore it anymore.

"What does a _beep _mean?" asked Dan, who was too distracted to hear where the sound came from.

Blair quickly tried to push him off her, but Dan wasn't a light load, and he wasn't for moving. She then started to panic, putting her legs against his legs and pushing backwards, as Dan fell off the chair onto his back with a look of amazement.

"It's the elevator, Humphrey. Get up, get up, get up, for the love of God!" Blair blasted out, rushing around and picking up a robe and throwing it on herself, forgetting her necklace on the floor.

Dan immediately stood up, quickly buttoning up his shirt and zipping his grey jeans back up, as Blair grabbed hold of him and sat him down on the chair opposite her. "Please don't say anything you'll regret, Humphrey. No matter who it is, we were just meeting to talk about...Chuck."

"Chuck? What?" Dan said, looking annoyed. At the first sign of trouble she would always goes back to Chuck. Metaphorically or literally; same outcome. He reluctantly agreed with a nod and they waited for what seemed like an eternity for the visitor to appear.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Chuck?" Serena said, as they got out of the town car at Blair's building. Serena had picked up the intense smell of scotch emanating from Chucks' breath all the way from the party. They hadn't said a word since they got into the car; Chuck had just sat there in cold silence. She had only accompanied him so that he wouldn't do something he would later be sorry for. A drunk Chuck was not a safe Chuck, and her step-brother wasn't exactly a level-headed guy when he was sober. He was a cool customer to the outside world, but Serena knew that underneath, he was one of the most emotional people she knew.

Chuck had a thousand thoughts rushing through his mind all at once. It was like a hammer was pounding down on his brain, and something had immediately drawn him to Blair. He knew that she was the only one in his life now that really knew him. The only one who had seen into what he would consider his soul. "Yes. There's nothing I have ever been more sure of. Look, Serena, I know that she is only one who will understand what this means to me." He answered, pushing his way past the doorman, with Serena hot in his trail.

"Chuck, it's late. She is probably asleep." Serena said, stepping in front of him, halting him for a second. "Look. Think what you are doing." She finished, looking into his eyes.

"I am thinking. You don't need to come with me if you don't want to. But I'm doing this." He said, stepping past Serena and pushing the elevator door.

"Fine! I'm coming."

They both entered the elevator and waited, with Serena pulling out her phone and checking what time it was. It was almost midnight. Blair would not be happy. The door opened to the apartment, and Chuck strode purposefully across into the hallway before her.

The room was dimly lit and it took a couple of seconds for both sets of eyes to meet. Chuck searched the room and disgust filled his body like someone had poured liquid magma into him. Serena just stood there looking bemused.

The four people in the room all waited in silence for a moment, none of them able to come up with something that was fitting to such a strange occurrence.

"Blair? What...Brooklyn?" Chuck barked out, furious. He stared a hole into Dan, before darting towards him and pulling Dan out of the chair by the front of his shirt. Blair quickly rose out of her chair and tried to pull Chuck off of him. Serena just carried on surveying the scene with the same utter confusion.

"Chuck! Let go of him! We were just about to call you all. You, Serena and Nate. We heard what happened with Lily and we wanted to see what we could do to help. Chuck!" Blair offered, failing to get Chuck to release his grip. Dan managed to pull himself free and fell back into the chair, as Chuck turned round to face Blair.

"Then why are the lights almost off? and why is Humphrey sat there looking like he's just been dancing in the clouds?" Chuck pointed out. Dan did still have a look of carefree happiness on his face, that he immediately wiped off at the comment.

"I don't know, maybe he finally got the repossession notice on that hovel he calls a home? Honestly Chuck, do you really think _this _could ever happen?" She said, pointing at herself and Dan.

Chuck searched Blair's eyes. He didn't know what to think. He did trust her judgement though. Blair would never lower herself to the level of Dan Humphrey. "Alright, fine. Serena can mind Humphrey, while we talk in private. I need you to listen to me." He said, with a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Okay. I can do that. Well, don't just stand there, S. Take Dan into your room. I'll speak to Chuck here."

Serena snapped out of the daze she had been in, and complied. Dan reluctantly moved across the darkened room, Chucks eyes still watching him like a bull getting ready to charge a matador. Dan didn't know what to think. He didn't have time to contribute anything to Blair's hashed cover story, and he was surprised it came out so believably. He was still angry that once again, Chuck had came thrashing through Blair's life again, and Blair now seemed to be letting it happen.

* * *

"So what is it, Chuck? What can possibly have happened that is more important that Serena's mom being put in trial for perverting the course of justice?" Blair snapped at Chuck, not sitting down.

"Look, this is hard enough for me to say, and I know you are the only one who will fully understand. My father killed someone, Blair." Chuck said, a look appearing on his face as if he was going to break down.

"What?" Blair said, taken aback.

"In the fire. My father told me that there was a security guard killed by accident, but a woman was caught in it and the guard was killed trying to save her. It was Russell Thorpe's wife. My father lied to me right up until he died."

Blair just stood there, dumbstruck. This was awful. She knew the kind of idolization Chuck had for his father, that all he wanted to do was impress him and how high of a pedestal he had placed Bart upon. This must have been destroying Chuck inside. She slowly walked over to Chuck, and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him into an embrace. Chuck just fell into her arms. Blair quickly aimed him at the chair, and he almost collapsed into it. She sat across from him.

"Look, Chuck. I can only imagine how dreadful this must be for you to handle. But Bart did love you. He trusted you enough to leave his company to you. That is what's important here. It does no one any good to listen to what Russell Thorpe says. He was obviously trying to deal one last blow to you, because he knows you beat him." Blair said, trying to smile reassuringly.

Chuck stared quietly for a few moments, in thought. He owed his father the benefit of the doubt. There was no definite proof to show that Russell Thorpe was telling the truth. His father had lied to him in the past, but not about anything this big, and potentially dangerous to his future. He put aside the lingering thoughts that had crept into his mind. His father wouldn't have lied to him about this. He felt a little better knowing that Blair agreed. That didn't mean that he wouldn't take steps soon to find out the whole truth to it. But for now, the group had more pressing matters.

* * *

An air of uncertainty flew over Serena and Dan as they entered Serena's room. All Dan could think about was that Blair and Chuck were talking about god knows what in the other room. All Serena could think about was that she knew something more was going on here. She knew Dan too well to not see the feelings in his eyes. She knew he was stressed about something.

"Dan, you know you can tell me anything, right?" She said, sitting Dan down on the bed next to her.

"I guess we are pretty close. Why?"

"I just get the feeling you are worked up over something." Serena prodded, grabbing hold of his hand instinctively.

"Erm...I think I'm just worried for Lily and my dad. The whole family really. It should be me asking whether you're okay, anyway." Dan answered, avoiding the subject. He did, however, care a lot about Serena and Lily and wanted to help their situation in any way he could. If there was something that was of equal importance to him than what just happened with Blair, it was Serena and the rest of the family. He hadn't quite taken enough notice of the problems in his family lately though; he had been distracted by Blair. He immediately felt a pang of guilt.

"I'm okay, I guess. In fact, I'm strangely proud of my mom. It's probably the first time I've truthfully been able to say that for a while. She admitted she had made a huge mistake with Ben, and she's willing to pay for that. But that doesn't mean I don't wish I could wave a magic wand and make it all go away. I'm just glad you're here to help." She said, squeezing his hand.

"Well, I may not think Chuck is strictly on the same moral level we are, but he is good for an evil plan now and then. Blair isn't too bad either." Dan said, smiling at her, as they both rose up off the bed.

Serena frowned slightly as they left the room, as she attempted to keep hold of his hand, but Dan pulled away slightly.

* * *

The rest of the night was spent in a daze of awkward silences and what can only be described as dastardly plotting. Dan and Blair put the events of the night aside, and Chuck and Serena felt better in the skewed knowledge that everything was as it should have been.

The group decided that they should hold off of any plans until Serena met up with her mom and Rufus the following day. They didn't want to jump the gun until they knew the extent of the damage. Chuck slept on one of the loungers in the apartment, as he had carried on drinking throughout the night. Nobody stopped him or attempted to reason with him.

Dan and Serena didn't speak alone again all night.

Dan received a text from Blair as he arrived outside the loft at around 2am.

_'Humphrey,_

_I'll come over to the loft when the coast is clear. We have unfinished business._

_B. xx'_

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* * *

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Nate woke in a state of delirious glee, the feeling that can only come the morning after you spend the night having sex. He turned over in bed, and let out a thankful sigh, seeing a sleeping Raina. Granted, it probably wasn't a great way to start off the night, with Russell leaving, but Raina had decided that the whole situation wasn't worth their time. It had happened, and it wasn't a good feeling, but in the spirit of their new relationship, they both had brushed the bad feelings away for another time.

Nate dragged himself out of bed slowly, trying not to wake her.

"Ugh..." He heard as he switched on the coffee maker.

"Sorry, I tried to be stealthy." He said, smiling to Raina, who rubbed her eyes sluggishly.

"No, don't worry about it. I should be up by now anyway. I have work to finalise." She replied, checking the time.

"So soon? It's only 9am." Nate said, pouring coffee for the both of them.

"Some of us have work to do, Archibald!" Raina said, laughing slightly at his look of feigned offense. Nate made his way over to the bed and gave her the mug of black coffee.

"I may have left something out last night, Nate. There's one condition to me staying here. I have to visit Chicago to check in with my dad every week. I would have told you, but I needed to make sure this was worth it." Raina said with a tone of uncertainty. She had to make a compromise with her father, in order to keep working for him while staying in New York.

"And was it?" Nate said, smiling.

"You're safe, Archibald. I hope it's okay that I stay here for a while. I'll find myself a room in the empire soon, I promise." Raina finished, taking a big gulp of coffee.

"Hey, mi casa..." Nate said, pushing up next to her on the bed. Truthfully, it was a lot of pressure to put on a person. Nate wasn't _completely _sure that their budding relationship was in the right place for her to be sacrificing so much to stay. But it would be nice to have a girl in his life again. He wouldn't ever admit it to anyone, but he had been getting lonely. He really did like Raina though. More than he had liked anyone for a while.

Raina quickly rose out of bed, and started putting clothes on. "I have to go finish up some things with a client. I did want to ask you something though. There is a party in Chicago next week, to celebrate the company making a huge profit this year, despite the problems with the takeover. It's being held by our main shareholders. I wanted to ask if you would come. I know it's a big step so early, so I'll understand if you don't want to." She finished.

"Erm...you're making a huge sacrifice for me, it would be rude of me to not return the favour. Yeah, I'll come." Nate said, reluctantly. He hadn't even realised the magnitude of what he had said until he had said it. He regretted it almost immediately. No way was he ready to go to a business party.

Satisfied, Raina finished getting changed and after drinking her coffee, left the apartment, on the phone to her assistant.

Nate quickly pulled out his cell phone, and called the first name that came to mind he thought could help with a situation like this.

"Hey man. Good to hear from you. We haven't spoken in a while. I thought you'd died." Dan said, jokingly.

"Still very much alive, bro. I do need your advice though. Want to get lunch or something?" Nate asked. If there was anyone who was versed in being out of their comfort zone, it was Dan.

"Sure. Can you bring food to the loft, though? I'll be busy all morning."

"Who is she?" Nate said, laughing slightly.

"Nobody, I'll be writing! How's it going with Raina then?" Dan said quickly.

"Well avoided, there. I'll be sure to get you a celebratory sandwich, maybe we can split it in three for the girl you've got holed up in there." Nate said, continuing to laugh.

They finished up with small talk, and Nate shut off his phone for a while. He needed more sleep.

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_Review if you liked it. Next update will be in the next few days._


	3. The Kids Stay in the Picture  Part II

_AN: Thanks to all that reviewed. I really appreciate it. Just so everyone knows, there will be serious treading of the line between T and M in this chapter. I'm desperately trying to keep this T-rated, so bear with me._

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To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: Seconds Are Always Better!

Gossip Girl here,

You liked your first helping I hear you say?

Then here's your second helping of UES juice, freshly squeezed for you.

Enjoy!

xoxo

* * *

Dan had not been this excited about waking up in as long as he could remember. He rose out of bed with a spring in his step and a uncharacteristic smirk on his face, despite being a little tired. He had had trouble getting to sleep the previous night after getting back from Blair's apartment, all he could think about was the text Blair had sent him. He grabbed his phone, and flicked through the messages until he got to the text sent at 2am the previous night, and couldn't help but give himself a proverbial pat on the back for playing it cool in such a contrived situation. Chuck had treated everything he said as a personal challenge to one-up him throughout the entire discussion about how they could help Lily, and he had stayed calm and collected. He hadn't given away anything.

Despite how proud he was he managed to pull through it, he did however feel guilty about keeping Serena in the dark, and having to lie to her all night. He cared too much about her for it to not hurt him inside having to keep secrets from her, but he was still very uncertain about the whole situation between him and Blair. They hadn't had time to talk at all since being interrupted. Today's visit would be very interesting.

He poured a coffee for himself, and started on making some waffles.

_*beep*_

Dan jumped as his phone signalled a text had arrived. He dropped the waffles iron so quickly, it popped open and the waffle inside flew high into the air landed in the sink.

_Humphrey, _

_I'm here. _

_B. xx_

His heart missed a beat.

_*Knock Knock*_

He took a huge breath in, and composed himself.

He opened the door, and before he could mouth a hello, he was being kissed with such force, it made him step backwards with his trailing foot. All thoughts were wiped from his mind, and everything became zoned in on the brunette who was now running her hands through his hair, as they moved inside the loft, and backwards over the arm of the sofa. Blair was now lying back first on the sofa, and Dan was slowly taking her various layers of clothing off.

"Dan, I did want to say..." Blair mouthed through the kissing, while Dan continued to perform his magic trick of clothes flying off with no effort at all.

"Yeah?" Dan replied, as Blair started to search for the waistline of his sweatpants. She honestly didn't care that he was wearing sweatpants at 11am. Maybe she did, but she was too desperate to get inside them, one feeling was overwhelming the other.

"I wanted to..." She repeated, flicking off her heels, as Dan directed their bodies towards his bedroom.

"Waldorf, just shut up, please!" Dan said, jokingly, as they both laughed a little, falling backwards onto his pillow and covers, while still glued to each others lips.

Dan started to move down from her face with the kisses; to her neck, her collarbone.

"Oh my..." Dan heard her moan, as he smiled a little, now looking down at her for a moment. This was all so surreal. The feelings he was getting here were not the same as with any other girl. Not even Serena. There was extreme voltage here. He could tell she felt it too. Blair quickly took control though, grabbing hold of his body and pulling him around onto his back, with her on top. She undid her hair, and let it fall freely. Dan couldn't imagine this going any better in his dreams.

_*ring, ring*_

"Oh come on! Of all the textbook clichés, Humphrey!" Blair almost shouted, lowering her head down onto his bare chest. Dan half wanted to let it ring out. But they both knew today was an important day for other people, not just themselves. The call could be coming from Serena, who was due to meet her mom and Rufus for a crisis meeting ahead of Lily's trial.

Blair fought back the urge to curse, as she looked down at Dan, as his cell phone continued to ring. They both stared into each others eyes for a few seconds, waiting for the other one to say something.

"Fine, I'll be the one to ruin it. That really needs to be answered." Dan said, as Blair reluctantly nodded, and unwrapped her legs from around his waist, and let him get onto his feet by the side of the bed.

Dan picked up the Cell, and checked the caller ID.

_'Nate Cell'_

"Oh, shit." Dan whispered, trying not to let Blair hear him. He clicked the little green button.

"Hello?" He said, already grabbing hold of some jeans and a shirt, as Blair let out a loud sigh.

"Good _morning, _Dan! Have you been a bad boy today?" The voice of Nate said, as he laughed down the phone.

"Oh very funny. When you said you would bring lunch, I thought you meant _Archibald_ lunch, meaning the meal that takes place at about 2pm?" Dan retorted, looking at Blair with widened eyes, signalling to her that she should panic.

"No...the normal persons lunch, Dan. Now, if you'll please come down to the door to the building and open it for me, I have outdone myself in my sandwich picks today." Nate said, as Dan heard the sound of cars flying by on the street.

"Erm...Okay...give me like..." He quickly zoomed his eyes around the loft, thinking of what he and Blair could do. Then a lightbulb went off in his head. "Two minutes." He finished, looking at Blair, and pointing at the closet he had that was out of direct eye shot of the loft door. Blair looked like she might spontaneously combust at the very thought of this idea.

Dan quickly told Nate he would be down in a moment, and clicked off the phone.

"NO. WAY." Blair said, shaking her head profusely. "Not happening." She reiterated, putting her dress back on angrily.

"Blair, we don't have any other choice, unless you want Nate finding out about this whole thing." Dan said, buttoning up his shirt, and tidying up his hair.

Blair furiously put the rest of her clothes on, apart from her coat and heels, which were now in an unceremonious heap behind the bedroom door, and out of sight. This would not stand in any other situation conceivable on the planet earth.

"Just a forewarning here. There's a few flannel shirts about to be ripped to shreds. The more time I spend in here, Humphrey, the more of your disgusting items of clothing I dismantle." She warned, as Dan opened the doors to the closet, gave her an innocent smile, which was greeted with a sound akin to a tigers growl, and closed the door behind her.

Dan quickly ran down to the entrance to the building, and opened the door to Nate, holding so much food, it was no wonder he couldn't open the door without help. It looked like he had come prepared for a nuclear disaster. "How many people did you think were coming to lunch, Archibald?" Dan said, opening the door for Nate to step inside.

"Well, there were so many sandwiches, Dan, I just couldn't choose one. Brooklyn maybe the filler capital of the world." He joked, as they opened the door to the loft. Nate unloaded all the food onto the island, and hung his jacket over one of the chairs. Dan took in a breath in slight panic; he had left the bedroom door wide open. He signalled Nate onto the sofa, as they both grabbed something to eat.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure today, Nate?" Dan said, raising an eyebrow.

"Straight to the point then. In a rush for something, Dan?" Nate questioned, smirking. Dan sensed that his friend knew something was fishy.

"No, you just interrupted me in a deep, philosophical trance. The ones I get into when I'm _writing._"

"Is it going well then? When can I see a draft?" Nate said, biting off a segment of his sandwich.

"Soon, I hope. I'm still trying to get into the real good stuff." He said, realising afterwards what a stupid person he was.

"Oh, is that right? Well, I hope I didn't interrupt anything too good. I did have something I wanted to talk to you about." Nate said, becoming more serious in his tone.

"Okay, what is it?"

"It's about Raina. It's all going good this morning, we have some of the best...sex..." He said, cringing. Nate and Dan did not talk about this stuff often, "I've ever had, and then she asks me if I want to go to a business party with her, in Chicago." He finished, waiting for a few seconds to hear Dan's reply.

"And that's bad...because..." Dan said, busy munching.

"I can't go to some important business get-together with the CEO of a huge company...I don't even know what the company does. This takes me so far out of my comfort zone, man. I do actually want our relationship to go somewhere other than directly south." Nate explained.

Dan didn't know what to say. Nate didn't get like this about...anything, especially about a girl. This Nate was unsure of himself and unconfident in his abilities. "Nate, just be yourself. You are the most cool and collected guy I know. Nothing phases you. My best advice is to be Nate Archibald." Dan said, trying to keep Nate's eyes from wandering anywhere other than at him.

"What happens if her father shows up? I need another sandwich." Nate said, as Dan complied with his request.

"Look, are you sure there isn't something more here? You really don't look like you've had much sleep, Nate, and I'm not talking about just last night." Dan said. Nate's eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he looked like a couple more sandwiches might do his stature some good.

"Yeah, I think it's just about this. I mean, I've missed a few classes lately, but it's not having too much of an effect." Nate said, looking at the floor.

"Bro, you were never good at hiding anything. Whats the problem at Columbia?" Dan asked.

"Okay, it might be more than a few." Nate said. Truthfully, his grades had been slowly declining over a period of a few months. His father hadn't gotten a job after prison, and his mom and grandfather had refused to pay next years tuition until he got his grades up. So many things had been happening in his life this year, that college had taken a backseat, and he didn't think he could rescue himself from failing a lot of his classes now.

"Honestly, bro, I don't think I'm going to be able to pay for college next year. My mom won't pay my tuition unless I get my grades up, and I don't think I can make the credit I need to do it anymore." Nate confessed.

"Nate, aren't your family the richest people in the Upper East Side? Surely college tuition is nothing to you?" Dan said, as Nate shook his head.

"My mom said because I decided I wanted to go to Columbia instead of Dartmouth, that if my grades went down, I was on my own. I've spoken to her about it, but she's not backing down." He said, sounding utterly dejected. Dan couldn't believe this had been going on for so long and Nate hadn't told anyone.

"I don't know what to say, Nate. This sucks." Dan finished, as they both took their last bite of their sandwiches.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to anyone about this. I'll fix it on my own. I just needed some advice about Raina, that was all. I mean, you are the guy from Brooklyn who took the UES by storm." Nate said, trying to lighten the mood. Dan decided to not pursue the matter any further.

"That is true. I am something of a visionary."

After they had spent a few minutes with Dan explaining that everything was under control with Lily and Serena, Dan said goodbye to Nate, and shut the door quietly. He picked up a sandwich, and walked over to the closet door.

_*Knock Knock*_

"I do not have the words to describe how unfunny that is, Dan." Blair murmured through the wood, as Dan opened the closet with a quick pull. They both sat down slowly on the side of the bed. Blair had heard all of the conversation, and clearly didn't know where to start. She wanted to help Nate, but there were so many other things they she knew they had to try to fix too. They both were aware that they all had bigger problems. They hated the thought of it, but Nate would have to deal with this on his own.

Dan kissed Blair on the forehead, and looked into her eyes. "I know its hard, but can we get back to where we were before?" He said, smiling.

"I think it's passed, Dan." Blair answered, as Dan pulled himself up against the headboard of the bed, and Blair lay on top of him. After a while, she moved sidewards so she was lieing by his side, and kissed him much more slowly than before. Dan kissed back, and suddenly they were making out, but the kisses were less chaotic than before. This time, they would take their time to explore the new connection between them.

Blair, however, stopped for a moment. "Dan, if this is going to continue, we need to think of a cover story. The last thing everyone needs is a Humphrey-Waldorf outage right now. There's clearly already enough for everyone to deal with."

Before Dan could open his mouth to speak, Blair's cell phone made a sound. Dan passed it to Blair, who studied the message for a second.

_Blair,_

_You told me if I was ever in New York, that I should get in touch. I land this afternoon._

_Regards,_

_Louis._

Blair looked from the phone to Dan, and back to the phone. "I may have an idea. You won't like it."

* * *

Serena and Eric both stood in the living room of the apartment, neither willing to sit down. It seemed like a situation that called for standing up. Serena had gotten a phone call from Rufus, which signalled that Lily had been granted bail, and that they were arriving back soon. Serena didn't know what the future held, but she knew it would not be good. The Van Der Woodsen family had been through a lot in the past few years, but nothing like this. She looked at Eric for a second. He looked as fearful as she felt. She knew that her mom was doing the right thing, but she couldn't imagine a world in which her mom wouldn't be around.

She also couldn't fight the feeling that this was partly her fault.

"Hi, guys." Rufus said, popping his head around the door, followed by her mom.

"Hello, both of you." Lily added, as all four of them sat down.

A few moments passed where nobody spoke. Rufus broke the silence. "Where's Dan?"

"Don't know. I couldn't get through to him. His cell was off." Serena said. That was another thing she was confused about. Dan had picked up a new habit of disappearing off the map every so often in the last few weeks.

"Well, we'll just let the cat out of the bag, then. There's no point in holding anything back. You'll probably hear about it eventually anyway." Rufus continued, looking at Lily, who stayed silent.

"Serena, Eric. Your mom and I are going to be moving out."

"What? where to?" Serena asked quickly.

"Well, we will be permanently locked in meetings and litigation from now on, until this is all dealt with. We are trying to get this settled out of court." Rufus said quietly, looking from Eric to Serena.

"Typical. I thought you were going to take responsibility for this, mom?" Serena snapped, looking at Lily, who didn't answer.

Rufus interjected, "Serena. You surely can understand that your mother is taking responsibility for this in the best way she can. Anyway, we are going to move into a rented apartment closer to the place the court deals with settlements and litigation. So Serena, you'll have to look after Eric for a while. I'll come check up on you both every couple of days."

Serena was astounded at this whole thing. Her mom was getting away with it yet again. Eric quickly interrupted Rufus, "But we can't look after ourselves alone. No offense, Serena. Mom, this is silly."

"You can look after each other until this is over. Serena is capable, arn't you darling?" Lily finally said, looking at her daughter hopefully.

"Ugh...I can't believe this." Serena said, standing up, "Fine! Eric doesn't need me to look after him anyway. It's just like you to think that he does, mom. We arn't children anymore." She said, folding her arms, looking furious.

"Well, good. Then you won't have any trouble, then." Lily answered, dialling a number into her cell phone for a car to pick her and Rufus up.

"You understand why we have to do this, don't you, Eric? There is nothing more important right now than keeping your mom out of prison." Rufus said, looking worried.

"I guess. I just don't see why you need to leave." Eric said, hugging Rufus, as Serena slammed the door to her old bedroom behind her.

"Look, I'll be here probably everyday to make sure you are both okay. We just can't afford to be an hours drive away from the courts right now. We need to show the right intentions." Rufus finished, as Lily and Eric shared a long embrace. Serena made no sound from her room, as Rufus shut the door behind them.

Eric sat down on a chair, and switched on the television. He knew better than to go and try to talk to Serena now. He wished to himself that this would all turn out alright. He picked up his cell phone, and flipped through the names in his contact list. There was only one person he could think of who he could call who wouldn't tell him he was being foolish to worry.

"Hi, this is the message line for Chuck Bass. For business calls, please leave your name and number, for personal calls, please refer to..." Eric hung up the phone quickly. He felt alone.

* * *

Serena picked up her phone. She called Dan. Again, no answer. She left a message, "Dan. Call me. Where the hell are you? I need you."

A tear slowly fell down her cheek. She couldn't tell whether she was crying because she was angry, or because she was sad. Her mom could still go to jail, and despite her many faults, she was still her mom. She did love her.

Serena jumped as her phone started ringing. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Serena. It's your dad." The voice of William Van Der Woodsen said, sounding as serious as ever.

"What do you want?" Serena said, with contempt. Serena was still furious with her dad, after the sick measures he went to in order to stick around and destroy what Rufus and her mom had.

"Look, I know about everything with your mom. I just want to help. I spoke to Rufus, and he told me to stay away." William said.

"Well, you should. What you did to her was awful. I don't think we'll ever forgive you." Serena replied, her throat was getting heavy. She was still on the edge of tears.

"I know that your mom and Rufus have moved out for a while and can't look after you properly. I can't have that. Serena, you know that you can't look after Eric on your own." William said, with his usual clear and calm voice. Serena looked around the room for a moment. She imagined Eric sitting in the other room, alone. She immediately started sobbing.

"Look, we both know that you can't do this. I am the only person who can make sure you are both okay. I'm living in LA right now. You should come stay with me until this has all blown over." William finished, with the same calm tone of voice he had maintained throughout.

"Dad, this isn't a good time to be saying things like that. You know I can't just leave. I have college. Anyway, I can do this. You don't know what I'm capable of." Serena said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Serena, there will come a time soon where you will realise I'm right. Just call me when that happens." William added, before saying goodbye.

Serena quickly hung up the phone, and redialled, before leaving another message, "Dan, I really need you. Please call me."

She lay back on the bed, as she heard the sound of the door opening, and Eric nodding to her in silence.

* * *

This was the worst time to be hosting a board meeting. Chuck didn't feel at all up to going. His head was pounding, and he really didn't feel like dealing with all the insufferable parasites that sat on the company board. Bass Industries was already starting to feel like a poison chalice to him. He was still reeling over the revelation Russell Thorpe had revealed to him the previous night, whether it was true or not. He looked down at his cell phone. It had seven missed calls, all from his office. He reluctantly dialed.

"Sir, I have been calling you all day." His assistant said, sounding annoyed.

"Think about who you are talking to, Kelly."

"I apologise, sir. But you have a board meeting at four, and it's getting urgent. The board are already arriving." Kelly replied. Chuck had hired Kelly for one reason; she was the best looking girl out of all the candidates. She wasn't a smart girl. "Did you never think to just call my driver? He would have known where I was." He said, pulling himself onto his feet. He was still at Blair's apartment.

"No...sorry, I didn't think." Kelly answered, sounding worried.

"Well, do it. Just tell him I'm at Blair's apartment."

"Yes, sir." Kelly said, as he ended the call.

It didn't take long for his driver to pull up outside the building. Chuck hailed him down, and soon they were pulling up outside the Empire. Chuck raced up to the conference room he had been informed the meeting would take place. He straightened his tie, and opened the door.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I apologise for my lateness. I was misinformed as to where the meeting was being held. New assistant is as dim as she looks." Chuck said, surveying the room. Every single member of the board had showed up. That was very strange. He was under the impression that the meeting was just a routine business practice. He sat down at the head of the long table.

"Yes, well, we can get started now." A voice said, as Chuck nodded to Bradley Kidd, his new partner, who was sitting a few feet away down the table.

"Please do." Chuck answered, shuffling in his seat a little.

"Okay, we would like to get straight to the point. Bass Industries has taken a huge hit in both PR and profits, after the debacle of the Russell Thorpe takeover failure. We're looking at a 40% reduction in profits. I'm sure you've checked the numbers before hand." Kidd said, looking at the rest of the members, before looking back at Chuck.

He hadn't checked the numbers. He didn't even know the company was in trouble.

"Now, the board has previously discussed a number of measures to correct this problem. Measures you will not have heard yet, because you choose to arrive at board meetings extremely late."

"Bradley, what..." Chuck muttered, searching the room.

"We have come to what we think is the best option for the company. You currently own 50% of Bass Industries, with the rest of us members owning various amounts of stake between us. The board rules that you must sell 50% of your current stock in the company, to be sold to an investor we have chosen." Kidd added, emotionless.

Chuck stood up quickly. "What? I will NOT sell anything. Do you know who you're dealing with here? I'm Chuck Bass. I could buy and sell each and every one of you." Chuck almost shouted, overcome with fury.

Another board member stood up. "Yes, well, we have already voted. We rule in favour of Bradley's proposal of an outside investor."

"You can't do this!" Chuck said, slamming his hand on the table. Suddenly, Chuck came upon a a thought in his head. An unbelievable thought. "Who is this investor?" He said, still standing.

"I believe you know him. It is your uncle, Jack Bass. He will buy 50% of your stake in the company, which will steady the ship, and give us a member of the Bass family we can trust." Kidd said calmly.

Chuck was already half way to the door, and was already dialling his lawyer.

* * *

_All reviews are appreciated :)_


	4. Petty in Pink Part I

_AN: Thanks again to the people who took the time to review, alert and favorite. I can't believe people have already put my story up as a fave, and it's only in chapter 4. Crazy. Okay, if you think things were getting intense in the UES last chapter, you ain't seen nothing yet._

_

* * *

_

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: When it all goes wrong!

Gossip Girl here,

Why do people enter into these awful, contrived, massacres of the soul we call relationships?

I'll be never be any the wiser. There's a reason I only commentate on these things.

All the more time to spend with my readers.

xoxo

* * *

A week had passed since Dan and Blair had shared that one kiss. Everyday since then had been like one continuous blur of sleep, meals and various degree's of intimacy. This varied from Blair lying on top of Dan while they both watched '_When Harry Met Sally_', to exploring how many new sex positions they could create by combining two already existing ones.

Dan couldn't work it out. Sex had been such an important element of his relationship with Serena, with the buildup to it, and a huge payoff. With Blair, it was like several amazing lines in an already epic poem.

Dan opened his eyes, and immediately closed them again, as the sun blared at him through the window across the room. He turned over in bed quickly.

"Ouch. Humphrey, you have the dexterity of a sloth. Will you ever learn?"

"Good morning to you, too. Sorry. I'm still not used to waking up next to someone yet. It's only been a week." Dan said, resting his arms behind his head, and stretching his legs out fully.

"Yes, well, I can't stay here overnight anymore if you're going to continue rearranging my face every time you wake up. I shouldn't be here anyway, Darota isn't known for keeping a secret well, and if my mother notices I haven't slept in my own bed for days, she will have obvious questions to ask. Questions I cannot give an honest answer to yet without gagging slightly." Blair finished, letting out an annoyed moan, as she rose out of bed and walked over to the bedroom door.

"Is that dirty talk, because it's awful." Dan said, eying her up and down.

"Not funny..." Blair answered, failing to fight back a smile.

Blair found it harder and harder these days to find any flaws with Dan Humphrey. Certain things that would have annoyed her eight days ago, she now found amusing or cute. She also found it increasingly difficult to insult him; like every time she did, she felt a pang of guilt and the need to apologise. It was like everything that had been unusual and strange before, was now usual and normal. Everything had changed with that kiss.

"Get up then. I need waffles." She said, signaling for him to exit the room before her.

"Fine, okay. I'm getting up. You know, you might find one day that you're hands are capable of operating a waffle iron. You don't need me to do it." Dan hinted, putting his clothes on, and leaving the room, with Blair hot on his trail.

"My hands weren't made for manual labour, Humphrey." She answered, sitting down on one of the stools that surrounded the island in the kitchen, while Dan pressed the waffle iron down, and sat across from her.

"Have I ever told you that you look beautiful, even in the morning, and in one of my stylish robes?" Dan said, leaning over the island and kissing her softly.

"You have. I'm flattered you think so, even in this robe, which I think even a blind person could sense is clearly a throwback to a time when fashion did not exist." Blair said, as the first waffle appeared in front of her.

"Only you could rate how fashionable a robe is that has only been outside this building once, Blair, and that was when my mom bought it." Dan said, starting to make his breakfast.

"I thought that was one of my many qualities, Dan, that I'm an 'evil dictator of taste', as you so eloquently put it." Blair said, already half way through her food.

"I may be starting to regret saying that about you. It's given you an excuse for your insanity."

Blair was about to whip back with another comment, but she quickly turned around towards her cell phone, which had signalled a message had come through. A rush of horrible thoughts suddenly cascaded into her head; that Serena had found out, that Chuck had found out.

"Oh, thank the lord. It's the prince." She said, picking her cell up and bringing it over to the island.

"Are you still insisting we go through with this plan you suggested?" Dan questioned, now also eating.

"Well it's already started phase two, Dan. I've pretended that I'm single for the entire week, seeing Louie twice now. The expected gossip girl messages have gone out. Everyone thinks I'm dating him now."

"Yes, which allows us to carry on secretly being together with no interruptions," Dan nodded, slightly annoyed, "I still don't think it's a good idea. What happens when he finds out about all this? He will eventually, Blair, and it will be all the worse when it comes out we've been hiding all this time." He finished, looking at her quizzically.

"You worry too much, Dan. Let me deal with all that, and you just continue sitting there, looking all innocent. I know we have to _eventually _come clean. We do agree that this isn't the time to out ourselves, with Lily's trial still going on, yes?" She said, going back into his bedroom to find her clothes, after clearing her dish.

"Yes...but..."

"No buts. Look, I feel how powerful this is too, you know I do." She said, sitting back down, and staring into his eyes, "Anyway, gossip girl has enough to write about lately, with Bass Industries getting chopped up, and Serena being the way she is." Blair said, walking around so she was behind him, and placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Fine. But you are buying me lunch at the café today, and no low fat salads either."

"Sounds acceptable, Humphrey. Counting the minutes." She said, kissing him again quickly, before quietly closing the door of the loft behind her. This had become part of a daily routine they had come to master. Blair would leave early in the morning, to check in with Darota, and make sure her mother didn't suspect anything. They didn't have to worry about Serena anymore though, as she had moved out to look after Eric, since his dad and Lily had temporarily picked up a rented townhouse for the constant sitdowns with lawyers.

This would eventually lead to them sharing lunch at the Brooklyn café that Dan had persuaded Blair was safe to eat together in, before both of them would go to classes at college, or Blair would go meet the prince to keep up the cover story.

Dan was getting more and more uncomfortable about the whole situation. When Blair wasn't with him to occupy his thoughts, the feeling of dread about the whole thing would creep up on him. This had to come out sooner or later, and he shuddered at the thought of the repercussions. He knew that the longer they held off on it, the bigger the snowball it would create at the end.

He finished his waffle and turned on the radio. He sighed a long, loud sigh as 'Shiver' by Coldplay started to drown out the sounds of the cars rushing by outside, as he walked over to his bed, and laid backwards, shutting his eyes.

* * *

Chuck squirmed with disgust, as he listened to his lawyer talk about the many difficulties and complications that had stopped him from accomplishing what he had hoped for in the last few days meetings.

His lawyer was a friend of the family, who used to defend his father, but the man was starting to screw up Chucks future, and that was unforgivable.

"Look, James. Is there _anything _we can do at this point to stop my uncle? Or are we just wasting our time here?" Chuck said, staring out at the city from the window of the room.

"I've tried all I can, Charles. The board hold the power here. We can't do anything, according to the law. We're going to have to think of solutions that are not necessarily lawful."

Chuck turned around and looked at James, interested, "Naturally. What about if I spoke to Bradley in private? I could reason with him."

"Not possible. Jack has already bought additional shares from other members. He just needs another 3% and he's the new majority shareholder. Even if we could persuade Bradley to sell you his shares, it still puts us below the line to challenge for majority." James said, scratching his head.

"I don't believe this... arrange a meeting with Bradley Kidd. If I can persuade him to side with me, maybe he can pull the rest of the board with him." Chuck said, nodding to James, who left the room quickly, briefcase in hand.

Chuck sat down slowly on the nearest chair. He felt like the walls were closing in around him. He had given up trying to call Blair lately, she had started a new relationship with a prince, and wasn't returning his calls. He had gotten to speak to her only once, and that had been a rushed call about Serena not wanting the groups help with her mom. Blair had also told him not to worry about her, and that she would be there for him if he needed her.

He dialed her number, and it rang a few times, before being picked up.

"Hello, Chuck." Blair said, sounding out of breath.

"Blair, you sound rushed."

"I'm just on my way back from Columbia. What is it?"

"Nothing important, I'm just calling to see if we could meet soon." He asked, standing up again.

"Chuck, I'm really busy right now. I know I said I'd be there if you needed me, but I'm going to lunch with a friend and then I'll be out with the prince all afternoon."

"Fine. By the way, how is that going? Bored of him yet?" Chuck asked, smirking.

"No, the prince and I are still new, and are enjoying eachothers company immensely, actually." She answered, sounding the way Blair always did when she was trying to feign happiness. Chuck knew he could read her like a book.

"Of course. You keep telling yourself that." He said, smiling to himself.

"Are we going to do this again? This record seems to have been playing far too long." Blair snapped back, "I have to go now. Always a pleasure, Charles."

Chuck hung up the cell, and frowned to himself. It wasn't the way he had envisaged the call to have gone. He always enjoyed the games him and Blair would play, but she seemed to have changed recently. He was beginning to give up hope that they had a certain future together. He picked up his cell phone again, and dialed a different number.

"Nathaniel. Raina is jetting off to Chicago tonight, yes?" He asked, nodding to his secretary, before entering the elevator on his way out of the building.

"Yes...any particular reason for the interest?" Nate said.

"Wondered if you cared for a few drinks tonight, a throwback to days gone by."

"I could use a night to let loose a little. I'm following Raina to Chicago tomorrow though."

"Just a night of reflection, then. I just need to forget about Jack and the board for an evening." He said, getting in his car, and heading towards the Empire.

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good, man." Nate said, before saying his goodbyes. He was already on the way to the airport, accompanying Raina.

Chuck watched the cars go by on the other side of the road. He tried to banish all thoughts of Blair out of his mind, for now. He would pick his opportunities carefully with her. Her feelings hadn't been the same since the disaster last year with the hotel and Jack. Despite lingering doubts in his head, he still maintained that whatever happened, they were meant to be. However, he knew he had to wait things out. At least for a while.

* * *

Midday had arrived, and Dan was arriving back in Brooklyn, after finishing his classes at NYU for the day. He spotted the café that he had picked out even before him and Blair gotten together for them to meet. It was perfect because it was in Brooklyn, which meant minimal chances of a gossip girl cohort spotting them. They would at first pretend to run into eachother and have coffee there before heading to watch a movie, but now it was where they would meet for lunch after morning classes. Blair would always try to arrive early though, to double check the area for anything suspicious. Today was no different.

"Here characteristically early again, Waldorf?" Dan said, hearing the clicking noise the café door would make as it closed behind him.

"You know I have to go over the place with a fine toothcomb before being seen here in the open, Humphrey. You never know what new technology gossip girl uses nowadays. There could be _hidden cameras_." Blair said, widening her eyes, completely serious.

"Yes...so what top CIA secrets are we unveiling today..." Dan replied, sceptically. Blair would never cease to amaze him with her paranoia about gossip girl. It sometimes got to be too much. The reason he had picked this specific place was because it could be their safe haven from the rest of the world. Somewhere they could act like a couple openly and not have to worry _too _much about being caught.

"Be serious, Dan. I know we are relatively safe here, but it doesn't hurt to be careful." She said, before putting her hand on the spare chair between them, so they could hold hands without being too conspicuous. She immediately felt more relaxed, gently messaging his hand in hers.

"True. Oh, by the way. I got a movie for us to watch tonight." He said, reaching into his bag, and pulling out '_Summertime_' and showing Blair, who raised an eyebrow.

"A little bittersweet for you, Humphrey. You might not like how it ends for Renato." She said, smiling at him.

"I'll survive." He replied, quickly checking around them, before leaning forward to kiss her.

* * *

Vanessa knocked slowly on the loft door. She had heaved her bookbag up to the doors, filled with books and journals that might help both her and Dan with their literary paper she knew he hadn't started yet. It was a stab in the dark, even for her, but it was worth a try, and she had spent a long time picking them all out in the student library.

She waited for a few seconds, and knocked again. No answer.

"Dan? I'm using my key...hope that's okay..." She almost shouted in the direction of the door, before sliding her key into the lock and opening the doors. Her and Dan weren't exactly on good terms right now, but he was certainly not one to refuse a treasure chest of books. She hoped to apologise partly with the gesture, and partly with an actual verbal apology, which she knew he would be receptive too, if it came from the heart.

She walked into the loft and surveyed the area. She was hoping he had been reading in his room and hadn't heard her knocking, but his jacket wasn't on the hooks by the door and his bedroom door was wide open.

"Okay, I'll bite." Vanessa said to herself, and sat down on the couch for a moment, after barely managing to lift the bookbag up onto the island. She debated silently in her head, whether to stay and wait, or come back later. She checked the time on her cell. It was just past noon.

She quickly rose from the seat, as a lightbulb flicked on in her brain.

It didn't take long to walk down the block for a few minutes, as she spotted the little coffee house that her and Dan would always go to when they wanted to study. They knew it was always quiet during the day and was only a stones throw from their favorite book store. It was worth a shot.

She reached the corner on the street across from the window, and squinted through the sunlight to check if she could see him.

"What...th..." She uttered slowly. The rest of her words didn't materialise, as her stomach did a quadruple flip, then seemed to knot itself around her throat. This wasn't possible. She had to look away for a second, and do a double take, just to make sure she was seeing the two people she thought she was. She dipped her head slightly to escape the sunlight that was peeping over the tops of the buildings, so she could see properly.

She studied them for a few seconds, before her chin dropped in amazement, as Dan leaned in and kissed Blair. They then both moved their chairs closer to one-another, and Blair leaned against him while they ate.

Her surprise rapidly evolved into something more akin to hurt and anger. She pulled out her cell phone, and started recording, as Blair pulled turned to face him and pulled him slowly into a soft, more passionate kiss. She also caught a sight of them with fingers linked underneath the table. They clearly weren't as smart or covert as they thought. Blair had let her guard down, and forgotten to be diligent. They were also sat at a table that was aligned with the window. How stupid were they?

She captured all the Dan and Blair fluff that she could handle, while getting more and more furious every second it was taking place. This was beyond sacrilege on Dan's part, and as far as she was concerned he was about to get what he deserved. She saved the video, and then sent it to gossip girl. She then dialed a number.

"Mom? I just wanted to call you and ask you if I can come home for a while." She asked, the fury turning into sadness the moment she heard her mom's voice.

"Of course, honey. What's wrong? I can hear you sobbing." Her mom said calmly, as Vanessa hailed down a cab and beat a hasty retreat out of Brooklyn, back to the NYU dorms.

"I just think...there's nothing left for me here anymore, mom. I think I want to transfer schools." Vanessa said. It had been something she had thought about after the whole Juliet scandal, but now she was sure it was the right thing to do. She had never been more hurt, or angry, or embarrassed in her entire life. She gathered herself together. She would not cry over this.

"Okay, well, just come home, Vanessa. I don't feel that we should talk about this over the phone."

"Yeah, mom. I'll book a flight when I get back to the dorms. I'm done with this place, and these people." She said, hanging up her cell and striding purposefully to her dorm building.

* * *

The sun set over New York, and there was no scandal or big events to speak of, other than the latest pictures of Blair and the prince at the Matthew Marks Gallery in the afternoon. Chuck closed down the window of the gossip girl page, and cursed himself for being curious. He wasn't a frequent visitor to the page, and now vowed he would never go there again.

He quickly did a standard check of his evening suit, before stepping into the elevator, and heading down to the bar of the The Empire, to meet Nate. He had told the entire bar staff to take the night off except one lucky girl, who was particularly good looking, and was ecstatic to be chosen out of all the staff to serve drinks to him.

He sat down solemnly. He had lost all hope that this would be a night of happy and hopeful drinking at the moment he had spotted the gossip girl pictures. All the feelings of impending doom came back to him, as he thought about the next few days. For once in his life, he had no idea what to do. Jack had since bought enough shares to become the majority holder, and was going to call a press conference the following day to announce his takeover of Bass Industries. His lawyer had been powerless to help him, and he had failed at trying to win over Bradley Kidd. Bradley hadn't even had the courtesy to call him back about the offer to meet.

Without his control over the company, Chuck had only one last thing to strive for, and that was Blair. He had thought about her all day, and silently formulated a plan he thought would work.

Tonight, however, was probably going to turn out as a night of toasting the death of Chuck Bass as a businessman, and then tomorrow he would concentrate on Blair.

"Hey, man." Nate said, placing his hand on Chucks shoulder for a second, before sitting down next to him at the bar. He smiled slightly at the brunette girl who sat in the corner, looking like she had no idea what she was doing there. Chuck looked up for a moment.

"Jen. Get Nathaniel and I two shots of vodka." Chuck started, feigning a smile at him, as the girl quickly shot up from her seat and started pouring the shots. Chuck grabbed hold of her arm. "Just leave the bottle." He said, quietly.

"You okay, Chuck? I heard about the company. Is there really nothing you can do?" Nate said, as they both quickly threw back their shots.

"Not a damn thing. You know Nate, all I wanted, all my life, was to make my father proud. To make him feel like I was worthy of his legacy. Some legacy it turned out to be." Chuck blurted out. Nate studied him for a moment. Chuck had definitely been drinking well before he had got here.

"It's still a good legacy, Chuck. Who cares what percentage of it you own? He left it to you. He deemed you worthy. Don't let anyone tell you anything different." Nate said, as Jen pulled out a bottle of scotch at Chucks request, and scurried off out of sight.

"Thats not true, Nate. Anyway, it's the property of Jack Bass now. I'm not the son that I should be. If I was, I wouldn't have let this happen."

"There was nothing you could do. This is just the result of a long chain of events. You're still a large shareholder in the company. You can win back the board in time." Nate said, reassuringly, as Chuck poured them both an overly generous amount of scotch, spilling a little at the end.

"Chuck, you're just extremely drunk. Anyway, look at this place. It's still yours. You're father left it to you in his will. There's nothing Jack can do about that."

"Yeah, and I can live here all my life. A hand me down prison, that may or may not have been torn down by Russell Thorpe two weeks ago in revenge for his wife! Fantastic!" Chuck shouted.

"Hold on...what?" Nate questioned, putting his drink down for a moment.

"Nothing. I didn't mean anything."

"Chuck, don't lie to me. I'm probably your only real friend."

Chuck let out a long sigh, as he finished off his glass of scotch.

"Look. I didn't want to tell you this. Ever. It's dangerous, you know?" Chuck murmured drunkenly.

Nate grabbed hold of him, and pulled him upright, so he could hear what was being said.

"The night Raina confronted Russell after she witnessed him blackmail Lily, after you all had gone, Russell told me why he wanted to destroy the company so much. Apparently, there was a fire at a Bass Industries building, and originally my father told me about a security guard getting killed in it. But..." Chuck trailed off into thought, but Nate wouldn't relent.

"Chuck! What else?"

"But, according to Russell, the security guard had been killed trying to save a woman from dying. That woman was Russell's wife. Raina's mother." Chuck finished, putting both his arms on the surface of the bar, and resting his head on them, silently.

Nate was in a state of complete and utter shock. If this was true, the whole takeover made complete sense. He and the captain had wondered why Russell Thorpe would want to destroy such a large and potentially profitable company. This was the reason.

"I assume Raina doesn't know about this?" Nate uttered, eyes widened.

"No..." Chuck whispered quietly, with his head still firmly laid on his arms.

_*Beep*_

Nate instinctively reached for his cell phone. A message had arrived for gossip girl, with a video attached.

_'Gossip Girl here,_

_O.M.G, there are very few moments in life when even I am speechless. This is one of them._

_See video._

_xoxo'_

_

* * *

_

Serena closed the messages section of her cell, and dialed her fathers number.

"Dad, I think I'm ready to admit you were right. I need to get the hell out of this place."

"Alright, Serena. I'll book a flight immediately. Do you want to fly tomorrow morning or..."

"Tonight, I just need to leave. I can't do this, dad. It's too much..." Serena said, starting to cry. She quickly threw a large portion of her wardrobe in a suitcase, and zipped it up. She stayed on the phone as she exited the apartment, as William informed her of the details of the flight.

As soon as Serena had seen the video, she had broke down. She had been finding it hard to handle looking after Eric and still attending classes at college. It had been stressful and she wasn't equipped to manage time even when she had plenty of it. The sight of Dan and Blair kissing and cuddling eachother had finally sent her over the edge. Her brain had shut down completely, and all she wanted to do was escape, before she did something she knew she would regret.

All the hope that Serena had for her and Dan had come crumbling down upon her in one agonizing moment. She had hoped so much that what Dan has said was right, and that they would eventually be reunited again, sometime. That was the string that had held her together since breaking up with Ben. Now the string was snapped, and in her mind, Serena had nothing left to strive for.

"I'll see you soon, Serena." William said, and she hung up the phone. She quickly dialed Dan's number. No answer. She quickly took a long intake of breath.

"Dan, how could you do this? It's Blair. She's my best friend! I never want to see you or Blair ever again! Don't look for me." She ended the message, and got out of the cab at the airport. She erased all the messages and contact numbers, and threw it into the nearest trashcan.

* * *

Eric opened his eyes to the sun glimpsing over the horizon. He got dressed groggily, and went to get some breakfast. He put some bread into the toaster, and sat down, fruit juice in hand.

"Serena? Breakfast will be ready soon." He shouted. He knew Serena had classes early today, and would be awake already.

There was no answer. He slowly rose onto his feet, and knocked on her bedroom door. Again, nothing.

"I'm coming in." He said, opening the door cautiously. The room was empty.

"Serena? Where?" He whispered to himself, checking for any sign or note to tell him where his sister might be.

He checked his cell phone.

* * *

_AN: So yeah. Review please!_


	5. Petty in Pink Part II

_AN: Sorry I haven't updated in more than a week guys. From now onwards I'm going to try to update every Tuesday and Thursday, so I can get this story finished for the Thursday before the hiatus finishes, or at the latest, the weekend before. I'm planning to make this between 9-11 chapters long. I've got it planned up until the last chapter, but everything can change and I may choose to omit certain things, or add things, so I'm leaving some wiggle room for myself. By the way, I've already written the epilogue. I know, probably a bad idea. Here is a very meaty chapter to make up for not updating in a while. Thanks for reading/reviewing._

_P.S I really don't want this story to be __**just **__a Dair story with some other characters on the sidelines, but it seems to be what its fleshing out into. I'll try to keep it varied, but this chapter especially is forwarding their storyline._

* * *

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: Decisions...

Gossip Girl here,

We all make bad decisions. Even yours truly has days when I curse my decision to wake up in the morning!

And so, we all must learn from these situations, and not make the same mistake again.

But some mistakes are too much _fun_ to only make once.

xoxo

* * *

A cold wind blew across her face. She had been rushed off of her feet all day, with having to quickly make her way from the loft to the Marks Gallery, having been made extremely late by Dan insisting they go back to his place after lunch. They had opened the door to a strange anonymous gift; a bookbag, full to the brim with books that Dan could use to help in his latest essay for college. She had been suspicious of it from the start. It was quite clearly from a not-so-close former friend of Dan's, and she had taken a moment to check if it was ticking, before letting Dan inspect the mysterious package. They had spent a few minutes looking through the contents, before Dan took what he needed, and promised to take the rest back to the NYU library.

A quick sitdown to read through some of the material quickly changed into a kissing session, which developed into an untimely long sexual episode. Blair wouldn't have been so opposed to it usually, but she had to meet the prince soon after, to keep up the ruse they had planned, and had been acting out for the last week or so.

The meeting with the prince had gone well. They had explored the gallery in the afternoon, which had been surprisingly entertaining, despite Blair having to consciously remind herself to not mention Dan in the conversation, or to stop thinking about what Dan's opinion would be on a piece of art they were studying.

The afternoon concluded without a hitch, and the plan was moving along amazingly. Now they were on their way to the Russian Tea Room for drinks for the evening. It was near to Carnegie Hall, a place which had been on the prince's sightseeing list for a while now, and she would never pass up a chance to visit the venue, even if it was just to see inside for a while. The elegance and class the whole block radiated was amazing to her. It felt like her natural habitat, and she knew people would be around to take pictures for gossip girl.

A problem has arisen tonight though, as they had been visiting various places and spending time together for a couple of weeks now. It was getting to the time when it was etiquette to move along with their relationship onto more serious things. A dilemma had therefore appeared; did Blair have it in her to kiss another man, when she knew it would get back to Dan at some point? She would have done it without a moments hesitation before, but a change had occured in her lately, and she didn't know if she could bring herself to do something she knew would hurt him, even if it was only to further the plan. She was starting worry. She stared out of the limo windows, avoiding Louie's gaze.

"What is it, Blair? Are you okay?"

Blair turned back to look at him, with a feigned smile. "Oh...yes. Just daydreaming. I'm very much looking forward to giving you your first experience of midtown. You'll love it." She said, letting out a nervous laugh.

"Oh. Good." Louie said, smiling, but then frowning slightly, as she turned back to studying the passers by.

This wasn't the same Blair Waldorf he had met in Paris last year. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had changed in her. She was still the interesting and thoughtful girl he had been so taken with before, but she always seemed distracted with something else when they were together. Even when she was giving him her attention, it seemed like her mind wasn't completely on him. Recently though, she had a strange tendency to avoid looking at him, like he was a lame puppy she wished she could help, but knew she couldn't.

These awkward silences had become increasingly prevelant in their meetings too.

The car pulled up, and she quickly hurried herself out of the door. Louie appeared out of the opposite, and she turned her back on him to speak to the concierge of the Tea Room, as he spoke to his driver.

_*beep*_

He pulled out his cellphone, and checked the message. It was from an unknown number.

_'Gossip Girl here,_

_O.M.G, there are very few moments in life when even I am speechless. This is one of them._

_See video._

_xoxo'_

What a strange message. He opened the video, and watched as the camera zoomed in, and there was Blair, kissing another man. The video went on for a whole 9 minutes. He quickly skipped ahead to the 8th minute, and they were still going at it, but in an even more intense manner. She pulled him in close, and they met eachothers lips for what seemed like one kiss that took up over a quarter of the video. He quickly flipped his cell off. He strode onto the sidewalk furiously.

"Blair?" He said, breathing heavily.

"Yes, Louie?"

"Care to explain this?" He said angrily, thrusting the cell phone into her palm. It took her only a few seconds to open the video, and stare, wide-eyed, at the first ten seconds of the video. She quickly shut it off.

Blair shivered, as she felt the cold tingle of a plan collapsing go up her spine and into her shoulder muscles. Panic filled her brain. "Look, Louie, there's a perfectly good explanation for this." She said, as the concierge opened the door for them. She led him inside, trying to mask the situation to everyone in the building. She sat down at the bar, as Louie fought with one of the staff, who insisted that they were going to take his coat. He snatched it back from them, and sat down with her.

"Please, enlighten me, Blair. Because this video seems like it is self-explanatory. Who is this 'gossip girl' that intrudes on our lives in such a way?"

"That doesn't matter. That video was taken weeks ago now!" Blair said, lying. She wracked her brain for something more concrete.

Louie studied the video again. He showed her the cell. "Don't lie to me, Blair. Look at the bottom." He muttered, and she did so. It clearly displayed the date when the video was taken. Today.

"Erm..."

She couldn't think of anything. Her brain had been wiped clean of any and all excuses and tangents she had previously prepared for such a problem, or one similar. She folded her arms slowly, and rested them on the bar surface, and looked him silently for a few moments. She couldn't work out if her brain had involuntarily blanked from the panic or on some level, that it had blanked itself on purpose, so she was forced to out the truth. Maybe it was the right thing to do. Maybe it was time to end the rude before it got anymore hurtful to all parties involved. Oh God, was this finally a scheme she couldn't, or _wouldn't_ let herself go through with? What had Humphrey done to her?

"Alright. I can't go on with this any longer. Look, Louie... I met you that day in Paris, and I was someone else. I was trying to find a way to forget about a man I had just had an awful break up with. I really liked you, then. You were something I had always dreamed about since I was a little girl. You were a _prince_, for crying out loud. How could anyone with an ounce of sense in their body say no?" Blair said, turning in the seat to face him. Louie just sat there, looking strangely calm, as if everything had now became clear.

"But I left Paris a year ago. So much has happened since then. I enrolled at a new college. I got my first internship. I spent a whole year trying to get over that one guy that I thought was my...'one'. A guy that is not easy to forget. But then I met a guy that I had disliked for so long, with no real reason. No reasonable reason, anyway. I thought we were opposites in so many ways, but we were forced to spend time together, and I found that we were alike in ways that I'm not alike with _anyone_ in. We kept our friendship a secret for so long. We denied that one thought that was clearly obvious to everyone else we told about it until we forced ourselves to give in. Recently we started seeing eachother, and suddenly I felt like I was getting some semblance of my heart and soul back. Finally I had found someone I had that same deep connection with, but in a much more healthy way than before. I had stumbled onto something that was staring me right in the face for who knows how long."

Louie put his cell back into his pocket and looked at her closely. He spotted a hint of a tear in one of her eyes. He wanted to be angry. He liked Blair a lot. But he had felt those feelings before for a person, and he knew it was something more than what they had, or would ever have. He now knew what all those feelings of distance and indifference had been when they spent time together.

"But why this, Blair? What is the need to...put us on display? I've noticed the excited, giggly girls that seem to follow you around taking pictures. Is this what they are for?" He questioned, pulling out his cell phone again, referencing Gossip Girl.

"I'm sorry, Louie. I really am. I persuaded myself that this was a good idea; to pretend I was dating you. I was afraid that if anything was to come out about me and...this guy, it would be an end to my reputation in my little bubble. I should never have put you through any of this." Blair finished, looking defeated, and looking down at the floor.

Louie put his coat on, and reached over to her face. He placed his hand underneath her chin, and brought her face back up to look at him. "Blair. If this is all true, then, while I agree this was a foolish thing to do, I'm not the one you should be telling all of this to. I wished for us to be something, but whomever this mysterious man is, he's got you under his spell. You've become someone that is very different from the girl I met in Paris. You're more...complete. And I can't be angry at that. I'm happy you've found it. Even if it's not me who is...that." Louie said, laughing slightly. "That sounded better in my head." He finished, as Blair smiled.

"Louie, you are one of the most amazing, incredible and...forgiving guys I've ever met. I wish we could have met in another world." Blair said, as they slowly hugged. Louie kissed her on the cheek, before standing up and moving towards the door. Blair looked back at him, feeling relief. She felt like a new girl, despite all the horror that awaited her now that the real story had broke. He waved slightly at Louie, as he closed the door of the Tea Room behind him. He smiled one last time at her, before getting into his limo and heading off. She pulled out her cell phone, and started a text.

_'Keep in contact, Louie. It never hurts to have someone who understands._

_Blair xx'_

Blair sat at the bar for a little longer, sipping a glass of wine. She now started contemplate how huge of a moment this was for her. In some ways it was good. Everyone knowing about her and Dan made everything feel so real between them. Until now, it was their little secret, and it all felt like a dream they were both having at the same time. She had finally admitted to herself that she was falling for Humphrey, and now, their outing seemed like the right course of action. Even if it did come with a laundry list of drama and pain. She knew this would hurt a lot of people. People that both her and Dan cared about immensely.

She quickly collected her coat, and hailed a cab down. There was no time for towncars in this situation.

She spent the whole ride into Brooklyn thinking of nothing but talking to Dan about everything she had discovered. Most of the serious talking concerning feelings there had been had came from Dan. It had taken her a little longer to accept her feelings, but this whole mess with Louie had proved one thing to her; whatever was coming for them was worth it. She would take heed of Louie's advice now, and fully reciprocate Dan's feelings, so they both knew that they were strong enough for the future.

* * *

Dan opened his bedroom door, and walked up to his empty bed. Usually Blair would show up sometime late in the evening, and they would either stay up and watch television, or they would catch a late-night cinema showing, but last night he spent getting optional work done for college. Blair had texted in the afternoon ahead of time for him to not expect her until very late, if at all, so he had pulled out the books that he had mysteriously received that day, and started planning various assignments.

His diligent work had only been halted by Gossip Girl sending him a text. After he had seen the video that was attached, he had spent the evening desperate to call Blair, but he had restrained himself for hours, keeping to the agreement they had made that he wouldn't call her while she was keeping up appearances with the prince. He knew for sure that the plan had been blown wide open, but he didn't know if the blast had reached the prince as he was new in town. He would give Blair a fair chance to properly explain to Louie before talking to her about the perfect storm that was about to envelope them.

He didn't know what to do in the meantime. He tried reading, but he couldn't concentrate; every few seconds he would imagine his cell phone beeping a message through from a whole list of people, and he could almost feel the adrenaline surge through his body. He waited all evening, but knew despite all the issues, he still had early classes, and he really did need the sleep. He placed his cell at his bedside, and climbed into bed. He laid his arm across the space where Blair would usually lie, wishing she was there. He almost jumped out of his skin, as his cell phone blurted the horrible beeping sound that signalled a message. He let out a loud and weary sigh. It was from the one person he was most fearful of having to explain to.

He quickly read through the short, but gut-wrenching text. He felt a pain he hadn't felt a long while; the dull ache of guilt and regret he got in the pit of his stomach when he hurt Serena. It felt like all the other times, only ten times worse, as this time Blair was caught up in it.

He really didn't want to think about any of this right now. He just wanted to retreat back into the world when it was only him and Blair, and all the potential obstacles seemed like grains of dust on the horizon. He now doubly wished she was lying next him. He forced himself to focus on getting to sleep, so he could wake up ready to make some important decisions.

* * *

He woke up even earlier than usual, and slowly turned around in bed to find the painfully beautiful brunette he had wished for last night lying next to him. He smiled widely. _This _was where he belonged. She was still asleep. He quickly shoved her gently with his leg at the bottom of the bed. She made a groggy moaning sound that sounded like she _really _didn't want to come out of her dream.

"Blair...time to wake up..." He whispered in her ear.

"No...can we just stay in bed all day and not have to face anything today? We can just lock the door and not talk to anyone?" She said, in the same cute moany voice she always had when he woke her up in the morning.

"Blair, you need to check my messages."

Blair turned over in bed, and opened her eyes. She picked his cell and checked the texts, while Dan left the room and started to make them a quick breakfast. He came back with some coffee and half a waffle each. Blair had finished reading the message.

"This is _so _Serena. We should have expected this. Who knows where she's ran off to, or who she's with." Blair said, before letting out another long moaning sound. She knew that message would have had a much bigger impact on Dan that it would have anyone else. Serena knew exactly how to press his buttons, whether intentional or not. Dan was a kind soul and had a saviour complex when it came to damsels in distress. On the other hand, the older members of the UES knew that Serena would always run away when things got hard. It was just part of her best friends personality, and they knew that if they went after her, or let it mess with their heads, Serena would only milk it for more than it was worth. She did feel extremely guilty about keeping everything a secret, but it wasn't like Dan was Serena's property.

"You know me well enough now to know that I have to find her and put this right. I owe her that much." Dan said, placing the food next to her.

"Dan, I'm just as concerned as you are, but if we just go chasing after her, it's only giving her what she wants."

"How can you be like that, Blair? I don't want to say it like this, but yes, she is right, you _are _her best friend. Not to mention that she's my ex. I think we both owe her at least an explanation. We also need to make sure she hasn't done something stupid." Dan added, getting dressed.

"Fine, I agree. We do owe her that. But she isn't the only person we'll have to explain this to, Dan. Not to mention what Chuck..."

"I don't want to hear anything about Chuck. After what he did to you last year he doesn't deserve to be within a hundred feet of you, never mind getting a daily update on your lovelife." Dan said, signalling for her to get out of bed and get dressed. She complied. It wasn't often she let him boss her around like this, but there were more important things right now to worry about.

"Alright, yes. He's done some awful things to me, but I wasn't exactly an angel in my relationship with him, either. I was a different person when I was with him, Dan. He brought out my ugly side, whereas you bring out everything good in me, I think." She shuffled up to the edge of the bed and sat next to him. She pulled his face towards hers. "Kiss me?" She whispered, and they kissed eachother softly.

"Okay. I won't go running after her. But we should at least try to find out where she might have gone. We can go check up on Lily and my dad. We can ask Lily if she knows anything, and I can talk to my dad about us. Happy?" Dan asked, as Blair stood up and finished putting her clothes on, and started to brush her hair in his mirror.

"Yes, I am." Blair said. She then realised something, and a powerful nervous feeling rushed through her body. They would have to go see Dan's dad. Rufus never approved of Blair in the best of times, and she knew he would be especially disapproving of the manner of their outing to the world. She made a mental note to try to be as humble as possible while around both him and Lily. While she acknowledged that their purpose for seeing his parents was to quiz Lily about Serena, it was still a big step for Dan to be sure enough of their relationship to present her to his father. She still hadn't spoke to him about her feelings in depth as much as she wanted to the previous night. Just another issue to add to the list of things she was now worried about. She cuddled up to him for a moment.

"You know, I really think this is a good thing now. Despite what this is going to do to my reputation. Whatever happens, I want you to know...I am really... falling for you. Even with the plaid." She said, looking up at him.

Blair didn't open up a lot to people about her feelings, so this was a big step forward for them, Dan thought. "Aw, Waldorf. You know I feel the same way. Now lets go get our asses kicked by my parents." He said, smiling at her. They shared one last, quick kiss, and they were both ready to leave.

* * *

Rufus was panicking just as much as he forsaw that his son was at this current moment. Lily had informed him early in the morning that Dan and Blair were, and had been together for a while now, judging from the video. He wasn't angry at Dan for keeping it from him, but he was disappointed that Dan had had so many opportunities to let him in on what was going on, and he had declined. Rufus prided himself on being a pretty good father to his kids, despite recent setbacks with Jenny, and he was partly worrying that Dan didn't trust him enough to tell him about his life anymore. Granted, he knew Dan had attempted to tell him about his secret relationship, but other things had gotten in the way. That was one plus.

Dan had called Lily an hour ago to confirm that him and Blair were coming to see them in their rented apartment in midtown. It wasn't that far away from the loft and they would be here soon.

Lily was sitting on the couch, looking calm and collected, as if she had been through this a thousand times. Rufus couldn't sit still. He got up out of the chair, paced around for a few seconds, started to make some food, then realised it was a stupid idea, put everything away, resided to making him and Lily a mug of coffee each, and sat back down. Lily just laughed slightly.

"Rufus, there's no need to be like this. It's just Blair. She's not _that _different from my daughter, and you came to love her."

"With the utmost respect, Lil, I'm not sure you get this whole thing. I know what kind of person Blair is; she isn't like Serena. She always looked down at Dan, and the things she's done to Jenny...you wouldn't believe. She's one of the reasons Jenny isn't here anymore." Rufus said, still pacing. He would always give Dan a chance. He respected his sons judgement and would let Blair defend herself. He did have some questions though.

"Alright, fair enough. She's been horrible to Jenny before. But maybe she's changed. Your son can have that effect on Upper East Side girls, you know." Lily said, smiling at him. She did have some doubts in her mind, but she wouldn't express them as openly as Rufus did. She knew the world that Blair and Serena lived in, and it was a world that could do strange things to a person if they let it. Maybe Blair had grown up.

"But she's a great girl once you get past the barriers. She's been like a second daughter to me in some ways, Rufus, so try to be nice, for me and for Dan." Lily finished, picking up the newspaper and trying to read.

"I'm just nervous, that's all. I just wish Dan had came to me about this." Rufus replied, sitting down, finally.

_*knock knock*_

Rufus looked at Lily quizzically. "Well aren't you going to get that?" Lily asked.

"No, you get it." Rufus said, half standing up, half still sat down.

"For heavens sake, Rufus." Lily said, laughing a little, seeing her husbands nervousness. It was unnecessary, but it did show that Rufus really loved and respected Dan. He really cared about his son's life. She sometimes wished she had such a good relationship with her kids.

She opened the door, and there were Dan and Blair, both looking as nervous as Rufus did. She eyed Blair, who looked like she might faint. It was rare to see Blair in such a state; she was usually large and in charge. She noticed Blair had a firm vice grip on Dan's hand. "Hello, you two." Lily said, loving every minute of this comical situation.

They both slowly walked inside after they had both quickly hugged Lily. Rufus quickly stood up and rushed over to them. "Welcome, Dan." He smiled at his son, who hugged him in return and smiled, before directing him with his eyes towards Blair, who wasn't wearing heels, and therefore was a good five or six inches smaller than everyone in the room. She felt even smaller.

Rufus awkwardly moved along the line. "And Blair." He said, as neither him or Blair made a move. Rufus looked at Lily, who gave him a furious stare. He quickly held out his hand and shook Blairs hand slowly.

"Why don't we all take a seat. We are so interested as to how two came to be, aren't we Rufus?" Lily said, as Dan and Blair took their coats off and they all took a seat in the two couches in the lounge. The seats were arranged as if the two couples were interviewing eachother, with Dan and Blair huddling together on the separate couch to Rufus and Lily. A few seconds of quiet contemplation occured.

"Yes, Dan. Do tell." Rufus said, raising his eyebrows at Dan. Dan shuffled in his seat a little, and looked at Blair. Blair looked back at him. They both smiled.

"I tried to tell you, dad. You know I did. But other things kept popping up, like I was going to tell you at the party, but you seemed so against the thought...I didn't want to..." Dan trailed off. He hadn't told Blair about his dad saying anything about her to him. Blair noticeably frowned.

Lily saw her, and interrupted. "Well, now we've both had some time to think about it, we both feel like if Blair is who you want, Dan, then we approve, don't we, Rufus?" Lily asked, looking at the latter.

If was Rufus' turn to shuffle in his seat now. No, he wasn't sure about this, at all. He needed to be reassured. This was _Blair, _the girl that had forced his daughter to leave New York. Everytime Dan would come back to complain to him when he was dating Serena, he would tell Rufus all about the cruelty and arrogance that was shown by Blair Waldorf every single day. He had no reason to think she had changed.

"Dan, can I speak to you privately? Blair, didn't you ask if Lily knew anything about where Serena has gone?" Rufus said, standing up.

"Rufus..." Lily murmured.

"It's okay, Lily. Blair, will you wait with Lily for me?" Dan asked, as he let go of her hand, and Lily sat down next to her on the couch, while Dan and Rufus strode off into the master bedroom.

"What is it, dad?" Dan said, looking annoyed.

"Dan, are you sure about this whole thing? That's the girl that you came home everyday saying was the spawn of Satan, and now you're bringing her to meet the parents?" Rufus answered, sitting down on the bed.

"That was a long time ago, dad. We were kids back then. She's changed. I don't know, maybe I didn't get to know her as well as I should have. It took a while for us to get past the initial problems, but she's really a good person underneath all the sarcasm and snark. You just have to break through those walls. I really like her, dad. I know it's too early to be thinking about this, but I think I could, sometime, fall in love with her." Dan finished, smiling slightly. He got that feeling of warmth and content whenever he was around Blair. The feeling that he considered to be something akin to the beginnings of love. He wished Blair would be more open with her feelings, but he knew she felt something similar to that. He just had to chip away at the last couple of walls she had put up, post-Chuck.

"But what about Jenny? She's been awful to her for years now..." Rufus said, looking at Dan.

"You know better than anyone, dad, Jenny did some pretty shameful things too. But I'm sure if I asked her, she would reconcile with Jenny, or at least be civil with her. Look, I know Blair has a side to her that isn't pretty. But it's all because she was in such a destructive relationship before this with Chuck. He wore her down." Dan replied, sitting down next to his dad.

"Okay, well have you even considered anyone else in this, Dan? Chuck is part of our family, and despite his problems and issues, he's very important to Lily, and this will probably hurt him. Have you even thought about Serena?" Rufus almost shouted. Dan didn't feel guilty at all about Chuck. He didn't like Chuck at the very best of times. They were like black and white in terms of personality, and anyway, Chuck had had his time, and he had blew it, more than once.

"Well, we're partly here to find out about Serena. We're hoping she might have told Lily where she was going before she left."

"Yeah. I think William let Lily know last night. I'm surprised really." Rufus said, thoughtfully.

"Oh. Well, we'll ask Lily about it then. I don't know what I should do about it." Dan said, as Rufus tried to make a quick exit back into the other room. Dan stood up. "Dad. Can you make an effort to change your mind on Blair? I'd feel much better if you were on my side, here." He finished.

"I'll try. I'm not promising anything. I want you to talk to her about Jenny. That might help your cause." Rufus answered, as Dan nodded with acceptance.

* * *

Blair looked at Lily for a second, before breaking the silence. Lily was like a second mother to her for most of her life. She had real respect for all that she had been through with her marriages, and with Bart. She had made a lot of bad decisions with Serena, but she had also made some good ones. Blair didn't know where Serena would be without Lily. But she also knew Lily was fiercely protective over her daughter, and in essence, she was visiting with Serena's ex boyfriend; someone Serena was still admittedly very close to.

"Lily, I don't know what to say. We both didn't mean for this to happen. Up until a couple of months ago, I would laughed in your face if you had suggested it. But, he's really something." Blair said, fiddling with a strand of her hair, as Lily made her a cup of green tea. It was raining pretty heavily outside, and both the kids had arrived a little wet and cold.

"I know, Serena never had a bad word to say about him. He's his fathers son."

"I can't explain it. We have these little disagreements, and it doesn't feel like a drama, like maybe it did with...Chuck. It feels like two equals discussing. I've never had that before. It feels like a real adult relationship. It's strange." Blair said, smiling slightly.

"Well, putting aside my loyalty towards my daughter, I'm happy for you. Rufus on the other hand, you may need to work on. He'll come around though, eventually." Lily said, passing Blair the mug of tea.

"Yeah. I really want to try for this. Even with all the issues it's going to cause." Blair said, taking a sip.

"Yes, with that in mind, I got a call from William last night. Apparently Serena has hopped on a plane to LA. I assume I don't have to guess why." Lily said, making it sound like a question.

"You assume correctly. I knew Serena would take this badly, but I didn't expect an _'Into The Wild' _knockoff episode." Blair replied, sighing. This had happened to many times in recent years for any of it to be new, for either of them.

"Well, you know Serena. I love my daughter, but she would much rather run from her problems than deal with them. She left Eric on his own in the apartment, by the way. I couldn't believe it."

"Oh my god." Blair said, imagining Eric waking up in the morning to an empty space. Eric wasn't a kid anymore, but he certainly couldn't look after himself on his own.

"I'm just glad William called me. Usually he wouldn't have. I think he felt guilty about Eric when she turned up at the airport alone." Lily said, sitting across from Blair.

"Dan wants to go after her. She knows him too well." Blair uttered thoughtfully. Serena knew Dan a lot better than she did; she knew what his tells were. Serena knew he would feel guilty and want to make things right, no matter what the cost.

"I know. I think in some ways she will always love him. He was the first person she had ever really been in love with."

Blair felt a pang of hurt inside. "What can I do, I am really worried he's just going to leave, and they will get back together...I'm sorry for coming to you with this. I know Serena is your daughter. I just don't have anyone else to talk to right now."

"Well, I'll give you the advice I would give anyone in this situation. You need to talk to your boyfriend. He needs to know that what you have is the important thing. I don't like it, but Serena has to start dealing with these things on her own. I have to try to take a step back, and so do you and Dan." Lily finished.

Blair smiled a little as Lily referred to Dan as her boyfriend. Nobody had ever done that before, as they had never spoke to anyone about their relationship. "Thank you, Lily." She said, as they both rose from their seats and hugged. Sometimes Lily could get things wrong with her kids, but her heart was always in the right place.

They released the embrace, as Dan and Rufus came back through the door into the room. The four of them said their goodbyes (Rufus and Blair managed to force an awkward hug) and the two couples parted ways. Blair rested her head on Dan's shoulder as they travelled back to the loft.

Dan remained serious all the way back into Brooklyn, however. He had made his decision. He had to go after Serena and bring her back to Manhattan; where she belonged. Her whole family needed her. All he could think about was how this whole situation was his fault. He hadn't considered her feelings in the matter, and he had chosen to ignore her hints on the night of the kiss. Serena had become collateral damage, and she meant more to him than that. What was more, he needed to explain to her about him and Blair. He wasn't going to come between two best friends that quite clearly needed eachother more than they knew. He had sensed the pain on Lily's face when they had quickly discussed the location of William's penthouse in LA, and he wasn't going to be the cause of all this suffering. He had thought about it all day, and he knew what he had to do.

* * *

"Ugh...did we drink the entire bar last night?" Nate murmured across the penthouse of the empire.

"I don't even recall any of it after Jen poured us our first set of drinks." Chuck said, standing behind the kitchen island, making a large amount of his famous hangover cure.

Nate slowly got out of bed and walked over to the island, resting his head in his hands. "Oh god, I remember the majority of it." He said, gagging slightly at the thought of all that alcohol.

He did, however, remember everything Chuck had told him about Raina. Which was his most pressing concern, only topped by the text message each of them got afterwards. From that point in the night on, they both spent a while drinking their problems away. Chuck had cursed everything in the world associated with the word Humphrey, and had sworn swift vengeance, so Nate hoped Chuck's memory would stay gone throughout the day, or his new found neutrality might have to be tested. He considered both Dan and Chuck his best friends, and it would certainly not a comfortable position to be in from now on. He personally thought it was a crappy thing to do to Serena and Chuck, but he could understand why Dan and Blair had kept their relationship from everyone. There were a myriad of people that would be against them coming together. Why not hold off for a while and enjoy the benefits?

"Got anything for this mother of a headache, man?" Nate asked, holding his head.

"Check the bathroom, I'm sure there's something." Chuck said, drinking the disgusting mixture he had just prepared.

Chuck didn't remember much about the night before, but flashes of it were slowly coming back to him. It was the usual way his mind would react to a hangover. His full memory would for the most part, reappear later on in the day.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Nate?" Chuck questioned, looking over his shoulder towards the bathroom.

Nate scoured his brain. "Oh, shit. Yeah, I do." Nate said, throwing down some headache pills, before attempting to rush to get his clothes on.

"You'll want to get going soon if you are going to catch your flight." Chuck said, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I know, I know. I'll have to take your miracle cure on the road I think." He said, grabbing the flask of green mixture Chuck had made.

"Yeah, I think I'll just recover in solitude for now. I'll get hold of you on your cell if anything revelation worthy comes back to me."

"Don't hold your breath. Okay. I'll be back in a couple of days. Look after yourself, bro." Nate said, nodding to his best friend. He really hoped Chuck didn't remember anything more. He didn't want to choose between him and Dan.

Nate made it to the airport with a little time to spare, so he organised his priorities. He quickly pulled out his cell phone and called Serena.

"Hey Nate."

"Hey, you heard about Dan and Blair, then?"

"Of course I did. I got the same message that was sent to you."

"You okay? Sorry, that sounded less stupid of a question in my head."

"I can't stand to even hear about it. I'm taking a break in L.A, Nate. I just needed to get out of there. You understand, right?"

"I guess. I just hope it's only a break. Manhattan wouldn't be the same without you, Serena."

"I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but it means a lot that you think that, Nate. I appreciate it."

"I have to board the plane to Chi-town, anyway. I'll call you soon."

"Yeah, I want to hear all about your adventures in Chicago, heh. Safe journey."

* * *

It only took a few hours for all the memories to come flooding back to Chuck, piece by piece.

The hate he already possessed for Dan Humphrey somehow managed to double in it's intensity in the space of a single morning. He now had a much more serious reason to hate him, than the usual judgements Humphrey would make about his life, or the lack of humility he had for anyone from the Upper East Side. Humphrey was no better than common trash on the street, and now he had taken advantage of Blair, who was still vulnerable after the last years dramatic events.

Chuck had to then painfully admit to himself that he had started this whole problem. He doubly regretted his indecent proposal before they broke up. It had clearly had a mental effect on Blair, and now she was cavorting with the lower classes, like Serena before her.

Something had to be done.

He sat down in silence, and schemed.

* * *

Dan and Blair pulled into the space in front of the building that housed the loft. It was still raining. They both got out of the same side, and Dan paid the cab driver. Blair grabbed hold of his hand, as they quickly made their way up to the front door.

"I got a text from Nate, by the way. He's on his way to Chicago to meet with Raina." Blair said, as they opened the loft door.

"Nothing about the blast?"

"No. I think he may try to stay neutral. He's friends with you and Chuck, so." Blair replied, setting her handbag on the island and her coat on the rack.

Dan quickly switched on the electric fireplace in the lounge, and planted himself on the couch. Blair went into the bathroom and collected a couple of towels for them both, and handed Dan one. She then went and stood behind the chair.

"I can't tell you how much I want to get that plaid shirt off of you, and not just because it's a fashion atrocity..." Blair whispered into his ear, as she dried his hair with her towel.

"Blair, I can't. Not tonight." He said, moving away from her hands, and drying his own hair.

"Why not?" She said, walking round to sit next to him.

"I have to pack."

Blair shuddered. She couldn't tell whether it was because she was cold or whether it was because her fears had just come true.

"Dan, you can't just keep going after her, and trying to save her. She has to save herself."

"I promise you, this is the last time I do. This is my fault, and I care about her too much to let this go. I saw the look in Lily's eyes when she told us where Serena had gone, and so did you." Dan said, turning his body towards her.

"Yes, I did. But you can't be at her beckon call and be here with me, Dan. If we're going to carry on this relationship, we both need to be all in."

"I am all in. I just need to do this, so I have a clear conscience. Serena belongs here, with her family, and I need to bring her back to that." He said, standing up and going into his room. Blair quickly followed.

"Dan, I need you here. There's so much more things we're gonna have to deal with to make this work, and I need you here, by my side." Blair pleaded, as Dan gathered up some clothes and put them in a suitcase.

"I booked the flights this afternoon. I'll be back in a couple of days, at the most." He replied, zipping up the case.

"Dan, please don't leave."

She stood in the doorway until he was done, and stopped him from leaving. A lone tear started to form in her eye.

"Blair, I fell for you. I'm still falling for you. I'll call you when I land. I'll call you everyday, and I'll call you before I come back. I am all in with you. I will always care for Serena, just like you will always care for Chuck. That's something we both have to deal with about the other. But I'm still going. I can't say no to this one, Blair." Dan said, kissing her on the cheek, and walking past her, as more tears started to fall down her face.

"I'll call you." He finished, and the door closed behind him.

Blair didn't know whether to be angry or devastated. It felt like the night Nate had told her that he had cheated on her with Serena. It felt like the night Chuck told her he cheated on her with Jenny. She walked over to the couch, and picked up his shirt, folded it into quarters, and rest her head on it, while laying across the seat. She let her eyes close.

Dan hailed down a cab, and pulled out of the space in front of the loft.

As the cab sped off into the distance, Chucks towncar pulled into the space.

* * *

_AN: Review! Magical things will happen!_


	6. The Princesses and the Frog

_AN: Oh dear. Sorry it's taken an age for my to update this story, guys. I got sidetracked by work and life sort of got in the way. Not to mention the final five eps were shown. Personally I kind of wish I hadn't seen them, and the season had ended with the Dair kiss, as the final five were pretty much a total U-turn in the quality of the season so far. But anyway, my version of the last five eps continues. See if you think they are any better. _

_P.S - I've always pictured Chuck as more of a Lex Luthor from Smallville type of character; meaning someone who is constantly struggling to conceal his true, and much more villainous, nature. I think every universe needs a good villain. It's one of the reasons I hate how the show has tried to soften Chuck up and change him into something he shouldn't be._

_Remember, Lex Luthor wanted to be loved. He just resorted to villainy in order to get people to love him._

* * *

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: Questions?

Gossip Girl here,

Oh B. Will you ever get a break? Not likely.

Oh N. Will you ever wisen up? Certainly not soon enough.

Oh S. Will you ever stop running? Like there's a chance of _that _ever happening.

And Lonely Boy. You suddenly arn't so lonely!

The UES. You are delicious.

xoxo

* * *

"Russell, I have to go, a highly intoxicated girl needs to be taken home. Yeah. I appreciate you taking my call." Chuck said as him and Blair travelled up to his floor in the hotel elevator. He quickly put away his cell and eyed the brunette standing next to him for a moment, before the doors opened and they both stepped through.

The lights were dimly lit in Chucks apartment and sun was just setting above the tall buildings outside, which gave the whole floor a strange veil of orange, amongst the colourful but tasteful decor that Chuck always employed in his residences. The blissful silence was only interrupted by the front door opening and then slamming, as the two people entered; one of them attempting to keep the other from stumbling over.

"Look... I'm fine, Chuck..." Blair said, one arm around Chuck's shoulders and the other pressed against the nearest wall.

"Of course you are...I knew it was mistake to take you drinking. I forgot that you can't hold your liquor past the first drink..." Chuck answered, lowering Blair onto the nearest sofa, and rushing around the kitchen island pouring them both some water.

"Yes, well. I do appreciate the sentiment...and I do feel a lot better than I did earlier..." She mumbled, licking her lips and then tasting the remanents of drinks gone by very loudly. Chuck let out a snigger as he sat down.

"In all the time I've known you, I don't think I've ever seen you this drunk. And all over Dan Humphrey. Wow, how far you have fallen, Blair. Crying over someone like him."

"Ha! Don't act like you arn't happy about this, _Charles..._and yes, I do realise this is unbecoming of a..." She tried to prop herself up in the chair, but missed the arm and slumped back down. "LADY, of my stature...BUT I'll have you know..." She trailed off into silence, with a thoroughly confused look on her face, as if she had never found herself unable to find the right words before. Chuck found the whole thing hilarious; although it did serve a purpose in his plan.

He just didn't expect it would take _that _much alcohol to get Blair drunk. She was near on tee-total in her normal life, (thinking that being in such a stupour was not elegant or something) so he figured anything past a few drinks with him would have had her keeled over very quickly, but up until a point, she had held her own. It may have been that her concentration was pre-occupied with the three hour vent she had unloaded on him about Humphrey, though. Possibly the most sickening few hours of his life.

Nevertheless, the plan was going on schedule.

"Blair...BLAIR?" Chuck said, the second time with more gusto, as Blair looked like she may pass out at any moment. She quickly raised her head and looked alert.

"WHAT?"

"Take this..." He handed her the water he had poured for her. He needed her awake for a little while yet.

"Ah, thankyou. You know Chuck, I'm surprised you _agreed _ to accompany me out in Brooklyn of all places. I was going to go out anyway, so it's not like you had a choice... but all the same." Blair said, as she propped up her left hand and gave him a comical salute. He raised his eyebrow a little.

"Yes, well, I couldn't allow you to just go walking off into the slums of Brooklyn all alone, and anyway, I never say no to a drink. You know that." He replied, toasting her with his glass of water.

"I do. Now. I believe...on nights such as this, with two people as close as we have been known to be, we sit down at the end, and have some kind of deep and thoughtful conversation, am I right?"

"Well, sometimes. But you do realise you are way too drunk to have a meaningful conversation, yes?"

"It's alright. Because we arn't really that close anymore." She answered, smiling at him slightly. "I'm kidding. We are. I _think _ we are. What do you think?"

"What do I think? I think we probably shouldn't analyse our relationship right now, because maybe we'll come upon some completely logical reason why we should hate eachother and shouldn't be talking anymore. Thats what I think." Chuck said. It was true, in a normal world, with all the horrible and hateful things they both had done to eachother, they wouldn't be on speaking terms. But in the supercharged world they lived in, they somehow always managed to pull together.

"I don't _hate _you, Chuck." She murmured to him.

They both sat in silence for a few moments, neither of them thinking of something to talk about. Blair took her first long drink from the water she had been handed.

"Alright...then in the spirit of this evening of drinking our sorrows away, I'll be the one to start the deep and meaningful part." Chuck offered, shuffling in his chair so they were face to face, while still both sitting down.

"Fire away."

Chuck inhaled a long breath. Here was the key moment; where the plan was on a knife-edge, "What happened, to us?" He asked. Blair's eyes opened a little wider than before.

"Chuck...do we have to get into this now...you just said we shouldn't analyse our relationship?"

"True. I take it back. Now, please. Explain to me why I had to drive to Brooklyn tonight, and find you crying at the door of Dan Humphrey's loft. Explain what I did to ruin your feelings for me so much that after your ruse with Louie, that you didn't come running back to me." Chuck finished.

Blair perked herself in the chair as if she had been struck by lightning. She lowered the water she had been holding onto the table to the side. "What happened? _YOU_ happened, Chuck."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You tried to sell me to your uncle for a hotel? Or have you forgotten the single most embarrassing and hurtful thing I have ever been subjected to in my life?" Blair said, getting louder by the second, but then trailing off again, as if she didn't have the energy to expel anymore.

"Hey, hey. I didn't mean to get you this angry." He said, placing his hand over hers and grasping at her palm softly.

"It's fine."

"Maybe we should change the subject to why I found you crying then."

"I've told you this already. It's just the never-ending saga of Serena and Blair cropping up again. Well, to be more specific the endless saga of _Dan _and Serena." Blair said, sighing.

"Well, you should have known better to think he would choose you over her. Humphrey is like my dear sisters lapdog. She whistles, and he just comes gleefully running after her."

"I just thought this time would be different. That this time I would be the one who got chosen over her." Blair said, looking immediately more sullen.

"Thats what I've been trying to tell you all evening, Blair. Nobody sees you like I do. I'm the only person who ever chose you over Serena." Chuck said, standing up and moving behind Blair, who was still sitting in the chair. He began slowly moving his hands down onto her shoulders, and started to massage her neck.

"Oh my god. I forgot you were so amazing at this." Blair hummed, as she sunk further into her position.

Chuck didn't have to answer. The time for talking was over. If anything, him and Blair were a couple that based a lot of their feelings on taking action. He leaned down and started to kiss the skin his hands had been on.

"Chuck..." Blair whispered, as she quickly moved around the chair and let him move onto the side of her neck.

Chuck just smiled to himself.

He moved down onto her collarbone, and then up towards her lips. Blair was in a state of numbness that she had only felt a few times in her life; the feeling when you are so drunk you lose your self-preservation.

Chuck slowly leaned in, and met her lips with his, and for a few seconds Blair and Chuck were kissing, and it felt just like it did when they used to kiss. It felt passionate, it felt heated and lustful. Clothes were coming off quickly. Blair quickly took her dress off and felt her bra being unclasped.

Then Blair got a flash of memory in her brain. It was Dan Humphrey smiling as she playfully kicked him in the leg whilst in bed. Then the rush of electricity she felt when he touched her shoulder before they had their first kiss. Then the feeling of content and happiness she had felt whenever he was with her.

She quickly pulled away, still noticeably sluggish and drunken.

"Chuck, we can't do this. I don't..."

She lowered her face, feeling even worse now than she did when Dan had left earlier in the evening. Now she had given him a real reason to leave her for Serena.

"But...didn't you just feel that? That unique feeling that only we can create within eachother. I felt it." Chuck said, looking desperate.

"I felt it. For the first few seconds. Then I remembered why we shouldn't have done it. I need to lie down, I'm starting to feel a bit light headed." Blair said, walking over to the bed and dropping back first onto it, with Chuck still standing in the archway leading to his bedroom.

"No, you are going to tell me why this can't work."

"It can't work, Chuck...for so many reasons."

"Then please. Name one." He said; a look of anger starting to appear on his face.

"I think I'm in love with someone else." Blair said.

"I don't believe that. I refuse to believe that. Humphrey! Really?" Chuck asked, starting to lose his cool. He rushed up to only a few feet away from where she was lying. He felt his temper lashing out.

But as quickly as the red mist had landed, it was gone, as he stared down at a passed out Blair Whaldorf.

Chuck purposefully strode back into the kitchen and started to pace. That hadn't worked at all the way he had planned. It was all going swimmingly until the kiss. He cursed the day Serena had brought home Dan Humphrey. He continued to busy himself with tidying up the slightly messy kitchen for a few seconds.

Then he smiled wryly.

A thought had occured to him. He quickly took off his suit and tie, and went back into the bedroom. He pulled off the covers from the bed, and gently placed them over Blair without taking the very small chance that she might wake up from the drunken slumber she had just fell into, and slid into the bed next to her.

He took one last look at a passed out Blair, turned over in bed, and closed his eyes.

Until tomorrow.

* * *

"Did you hear about Ed Westwick? He punched up a bar. Thats what I heard from an informative source, anyway." The leggy blonde gossiped to her friend as they walked up the beachfront; both of them sparing a split second glance at the unshaven guy standing at the gap between the sand and the sidewalk, looking out to sea.

"Oh I _know. _But I still think he's dreamy. He wouldn't hurt a fly." The other girl answered, nodding away.

"I know, right? Did you hear about Leo Di Caprio..."

Dan couldn't help but hear the two of them as they passed by. He smirked to himself. This was definately California. Idolization of the high society in New York was only switched out by idolization of the latest debauchery of celebrities in Cali. Same culture, different town.

He shielded his eyes as the light from the sunrise overhead hit him. A few minutes contemplation was somehow not helping right now. He couldn't think straight. He hadn't been able to put two thoughts together coherantly since he left Blair crying in the doorway of the loft. He had only traveled to LA to right a wrong, and now he seemed to have created another one by the action.

He let out a sigh and crossed his arms, staring out to the horizon. This place _was _beautiful. No doubt about it. He reached behind him and grabbed hold of the back of his plaid shirt, and rustled it up and down, trying to create some kind of breeze to eleviate the temperature. He had packed a lot of clothes, and but none of them were really suitable for seventy-five degree's pure sunshine. Even in the evening it seemed to be warmer than New York at any time of the year.

He checked his cell phone. It was the middle of the morning back at home. He wondered if he should call Blair.

"Hey."

He zipped his cell back in his pocket and turned around slowly.

"I know how you know I was in Malibu, but what I don't understand is how you knew I would be _here._"

"Well, gossip girl doesn't exist out here, so I had to actually _ask _someone where you eat breakfast in the morning, and come to relax. I asked your dad." Dan said, smiling at Serena. She was wearing a long, whispy red summer dress and had her hair up, and had donned red tinted sunglasses that weren't quite opaque enough to hide her piercing blue eyes. She looked amazing.

"Oh wow. You spoke to my dad? You _really _wanted to find me." She said, with a wry smile, as she placed one hand on her hip.

"Yeah, once you get past all of the unimportant things like the fake cancer giving and the abandonment issues, he's a swell guy." Dan answered, sitting down on the wall that seperated the beach from the boardwalk.

"Funny."

Serena sat down next to him, and they both turned to face eachother. So many things needed to be said between the two of them. Dan didn't want to push her too hard right now, and Serena was just happy everything had turned out fine in the end; Dan was here.

Serena nudged him playfully. "So, just dropped by for the lovely California weather, hm?" She said.

"Oh yeah, my pasty complexion is just eating it up right now."

"I can see that. You couldn't pack any tee's? Do you own anything with short sleeves?" Serena said, laughing a little.

"I didn't have much time to selectively pack. Blair said..." Dan trailed off, looking away from her for a moment.

A few seconds went past with no words spoken. Serena wriggled a little in her dress, and Dan stared out to sea.

"Look, can we just go get something to eat?" Serena asked, standing up, extending her hand to him.

"Are you ever not hungry?" Dan replied, accepting her hand, as the pair started to walk down the boardwalk towards the wooden pier in the distance.

The next few minutes were spent with Dan telling her a story about getting lost in LA International while on the phone to Rufus, trying to figure out how to get Malibu. Serena just happily listened and laughed along, still gripping onto his hand. She wasn't going to let go. Not without a fight.

"It is beautiful out here though, I have to admit." Dan said, as they neared on a beach café, with several wooden tables set up outside, with just one tanned looking teenager staffing the bar. Most of the customers were out on the beach, either getting started on a long day of tanning or testing out the water. The banner behind the bar said_ 'Paradise Cove Beach Café.'_

"It is. It makes me wonder that maybe we all would have turned out differently if we had grew up in California, you know? Everything is just more carefree here. Nobody bothers you." Serena said, sitting down at the table nearest to the beachfront. The sun was fully risen now and the heat was started to kick up. Dan could feel it on the back of his neck.

"It does seem more your style. I can't really see Chuck with long hair and a surfboard though." Dan said, squinting a little through the sunlight. Dan turned around and eyed up the lone staff member who was standing at the bar, who was looking equally confused as to what they were doing. Serena stood up with a menu.

"We have to go to the bar and order our food ourselves, Dan. There's no service at a beachfront bar. Wow, you really are a true Upper East Sider now, heh." She said, gently tapping him on the head with the menu as she walked past.

"Oh, _please _take that back." Dan said, following her.

"Sorry, it's true!" She called back to him as they ordered a plate of bagels for two, with various side spreads, very few of which Dan was familiar with. Cream cheese was his only choice.

Serena propped both her arms up on the bar and pulled up a high-set chair, quickly copied by Dan, who was really starting to feel the morning heat. He tried to aim his head in the direction of the single air fan that was blowing in the corner.

"You never quite get used to it, trust me. You know what helps? Drinking an endless amount of liquids." Serena said, quickly.

"Probably a good idea. Hey, man. Can I get a large mineral water, and just keep them coming."

"Piña Colada, please." Serena said, giving her trademark innocent smile to the bartender. This guy clearly wasn't old enough to serve alcohol.

"Serena, it's eight-thirty in the morning."

"So? I think given recent events you won't judge me for drinking early, thankyou." She answered, shooting him a slightly annoyed look.

"So how bout that drink, babe." Serena mused, fluttering her lashes at the young guy behind the bar.

The bartender didn't seem to think much of breaking the law as he noticeably gulped and started to nervously mix the drink. Dan just let out a long sigh.

"Look, I know you clearly don't want to talk about what happened but I think we should." He said, while starting to drink his mineral water.

"I really don't. I just want to have drinks, eat my breakfast, and make sure you enjoy your visit, Dan. Because I don't intend to go back, at least not until September." She finished, paying for the drinks, and going back to the table, with Dan in tow.

"Alright, fine. I won't talk about it, then. Lets just have fun." Dan said, as the food was brought over to them.

He would hold off for now. He had more than enough time to soften Serena; there wasn't a time limit on his visit. Even if he couldn't persuade her to come back today, at least he knew she wasn't planning on staying for good. His guilt over why she had ran away was no prevelant though.

Serena had a little more planned. She would try her very best to sweeten Dan up. She had no doubt in her mind, however Blair had wrapped Dan around her finger, she could unwrap him. Her and Dan had history, and this wasn't over yet. She didn't know how she felt about Blair in this situation, but what she did know was that if Blair had to be removed for her and Dan to be together again, that was what had to happen.

* * *

"Ugh...can I just say that you've brought me to my own personal hell." Nate said, adjusting his tie nervously.

"Well that'll just have to be on my concience, won't it? Anyway, whats so horrible about a business party? You must have been to parties like this before." Raina answered, linking arms with him as they walked through the door to the Chicago penthouse that had been reworked into a classy business party venue. Wine was being passed around by the truckload and there was a severe lack of food to soak it all up. Yep, this was the home of hundreds of boarderline alcoholics. For Nate, working in a company akin to Thorpe Enterprises would be a recipe for certain soul destruction, so he could relate to most of the people there.

Nate's mind was racing. He found it hard to lie to Raina, but the real truth was much more difficult to tell her than he could imagine. He now knew everything about Raina's mother and that she had died in a fire years ago. He also knew that Raina still held out hope for her mother, and that Russell and Chuck had had a confrontation about it before Russell had left New York. What Chuck had neglected to consider during his drunken diatribe was what Nate would do the following day when he was stuck between Russell and Raina, in a city he had never been in before, with no allies to help him.

He quickly gathered up a glass of wine from one of the passing catering staff member, which was met with immediate negativity from Raina. "What? Didn't you hear me predict my impending apocalypse just now?" He continued, downing the entire contents of the glass in one large gulp.

"Again, I ask why."

"Look, this sort of party only serves to scare the living crap out of me about my not so far away future probably working for, no offense, a company very similar to this," Raina scoffed, feigning hurt, "Also, you couple that with making this party a 'meet the parent' thing too. I'm the best friend of the guy your father just tried to destroy by hostile takeover. I _know _he's not going to like me." Nate finished. Raina was just blown away. Nate was the personification of coolness in the majority of situations.

"This reaction can only lead me to one conclusion. You _really _like me, Nate Archibald." She said, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Oh, you figured?" Nate replied, faking a slight nervous laugh.

"Don't worry. My father only acts the way he does with rivals. He's really a good guy once you get to know him. You'll be fine." Raina said, pulling him in the direction of someone she noticed.

"Famous last words..." Nate said quietly, as he was whisked away across the penthouse floor.

"Raina! Nice to see you again, back where you belong." A tall man with greying hair and a calming voice said, as Raina halted in her tracks.

"Oh, thankyou, Mayor Emanuel. But I'm afraid I'm only here for a short stay, and then it's back to NYC for me." Raina said. Normally Raina was the most imposing figure in the room, but Nate had to admit this guy had the attention of every person in the room right now. He was also flanked by several dignitiaries, which seemed to be annoying him at this moment.

"And who might this be. This can't be the black sheep of the Archibald-Van Der Bilt herd?" Mayor Rahm said, eying him up and down.

"Erm, yes, sir. May I ask how you knew?"

"I've already spoken to Raina's father tonight. He's telling everyone who will listen about his daughter dating the heir of New York's royal family. Forgoing Dartmouth for Columbia? Bold move. Personally I commend you for bucking the trend." Rahm explained, winking at him.

"Well, it's left me with not a cent to my name apart from that which I make myself, sir. So it's been a real struggle to buck that trend."

"Well, keep at it, son. I started from humble beginnings myself. All it takes is hard work and maybe knowing a few of the right people, and you know Raina here, so thats a good headstart." Mayor Rahm finished, studying Raina for a second, before shaking Nate's hand.

"Come on, we should go." Rain whispered to him, and they both shuffled along the room through the various groups of people talking.

"Well, that was strangely calming." Nate said, leaning towards Raina's ear, so she could hear him over the noise.

"Yeah. I didn't know you were struggling that much, though."

"I'm not. It's just been dificult this year, thats all. My mom withdrew her financial help when I dropped below a certain overall grade and I haven't exactly got the experience to pick up a job easily."

"Don't look now. My father just appeared out of his office." Raina said quickly.

"Fantastic." Nate uttered to himself.

The room became immediately several decibels quieter, as Russell Thorpe entered the room. People that had previously been shouting to eachother over the music now either stopped talking entirely or stoicly began talking in a much more appropriate manner. Even the mayor directed his attention towards the CEO for a moment before going back into deep discussion. He looked nothing like the man Nate had seen leave New York broken and defeated.

Russell made a beline for Nate and Raina.

"Raina." He said, and father and daughter shared a short hug.

"Dad." Raina answered, stepping back and revealing Nate at her side.

"Nathaniel."

"Russell." Nice to see you brought my daughter back to a city where truth and honour are more important than your bank account and connections." Russell said, without a hint of humour. Raina nudged him awkwardly.

"Dad. Be nice. I think you'll find Nate is a man unto himself. Anyway, New York isn't that bad. It has real heart, if you look in the right places." Raina said, smiling at Nate. Nate reciprocated.

"Yes, so it may seem."

"I want you to know, sir, I'm not proud of my part in your failed hostile takeover. I only cared about what it might do to Raina; and I apologise." Nate said. He had, after all, gone along with Chuck's plan to take Raina up into the Bass suite to wait for Russell to try to blackmail Chuck and Lily. He really did feel bad. After all, Russell was, by what he could gauge, a good father in the end. He didn't like Russell one bit, though. He was the reason the captain was unemployed again, and was therefore the reason his financial aid had dried up.

"Nathaniel. I'd like to speak to you privately for a moment, if thats agreeable." Russell said, looking at him, and then to Raina.

"Yeah. I guess." Nate offered, nodding reassuringly at his girlfriend.

"Hey, whynot. This doesn't sound _at all _strange." Raina said, letting go of Nate's hand.

Russell motioned for Nate to follow him into his office, and he did so. The door shut behind them and the music and mumblings of the party-goers was drowned out. Nate sat down across from Russell at his office desk. Russell had a large, elaborate seat behind it, that was more akin to a throne than a chair, and behind him was a wall-window, showing the Chicago skyline and the sunset on the horizon.

"I see the Upper East Side's talent for deception is not lost on even it's most wayward of sons, Mr. Archibald. You might act like you are above all the lies, but clearly you arn't." Russell said. Nate was taken aback for a moment.

"I'm sorry, sir?"

"Oh, please. Chuck Bass called me in the early hours of this morning. Told me he had came upon a rather startling memory he had forgotten of the previous nights drunken misgivings. He told you that my wife is dead."

Nate's insides tightened around his throat. He couldn't muster the breath to speak. Only a single "Oh." sprang from his mouth. Russell looked completely unphased.

"So, now I know I'm dealing someone scarily similar to his so-called best friend, I can treat you as such, and I know the only thing that seems to get through to you people is a mutually beneficial deal."

Nate couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted to get up from his seat and run for the hills.

"Sir, it's not like that at all. I didn't think Chuck would..."He sighed loudly, "Alright. I knew he would remember. I was just hoping I could get through tonight and deal with this when I got back to Manhattan." He explained.

"Well, since you know the intimate details of my life, I took out an insurance policy, and did some digging of my own. On you." Russel continued, clasping his fingers together, and resting them on the oak desk.

"Oh yes. I can't say I'm too surprised, really. I fired your father for corporate espionage and with your mother being the useless socialite she is, it would be wise to conclude that you arn't exactly a trust fund kid anymore, hm?"

Nate couldn't do anything except sit there, dumfounded. He managed a slow nod.

"Oh Nate. I would say I feel sorry for you, but I'd be the worst kind of liar. Not only that, your partner in crime Chuck Bass just lost half of his inheritance to his equally insufferable uncle. I'm a happy man, right now, my boy. So I'm willing to offer you a quite generous deal."

"Deal?"

"Yes. But my terms are, admittedly, quite steep. You leave here tonight. You take Raina with you. _But _you immediately tell her tomorrow that it's over. I don't care how you do it. Lie. You seem to have a talent for that." Russel said, not revealing a snippet of emotion, as if what they were talking about was a simple business deal.

"Look, . I'm not like Chuck. I don't enter into deals involving people I care about." Nate said, starting to stand up and leave.

"Not so fast, boy. You haven't heard what I will give you in return, yet."

Nate stopped in his tracks, and turned around slowly.

"In return for your silence, and your ending of your relationship with my daughter, who deserves much better than you, I will give your father back a position at the new Manhattan branch of Thorpe Enterprises. In fact, I'll let him head it up. He'll be in a six figure salary, and can do what he pleases with it. I'll also make sure you are compensated. I'll pay for the rest of your education at Columbia. So...you lose Raina, a girl that you've been dating now for _less_ than a year. But you gain a future, and your family is saved."

Nate felt stuck. He really liked Raina, and clearly she was not better with her father than she was with him. But he even he could see that the offer would secure a future for himself and his broken family.

"I'll have to think it over." He said. He felt a huge pang of guilt building in his stomach. After all, Nate prided himself on the fact he had managed to come out of high school and life between Serena, Chuck and Blair fairly uncorrupted. But what other choice did he have?

"Good, good." Russell said, and for the first time, he smiled widely.

Nate turned and started to pull the handle of the door down.

"You know, Nathaniel. There's nobody too honourable or self-righteous to be bought. I'm just a simple businessman, trying to save my daughter from monsters like you." _(AN: If this happened in the show, knowing what we know now, that Russell killed his own wife, I would hate this dude right now, haha.)_

Nate started to stride back to where Raina was waiting, trying to put on his best happy act.

"Hey," Raina hugged him softly, "So, he wasn't too rough on you, was he?" She said, smiling.

Nate felt like he might throw up, as Russell waved gleefully at Raina, and slowly closed the door to his office.

Nate dragged Raina over to a quiet side of the penthouse.

"Is it okay if we go? My mom called me from New York. Some kind of emergency."

"Yeah, sure. Just let me get my coat."

* * *

"Wow. Now this is something." Dan said, as Serena led them towards a low set building, with quaint little lanterns underneath the windows, lighting up the outside gazebo just enough so that potential customers could view inside.

The air was warm and slow moving. A complete contrast to Manhattan at night. Dan felt strangely at ease with the whole situation. Him and Serena had spent the whole day just exploring Malibu. After breakfast they had spent a couple of hours sat out on the beach, putting all of their differences aside for a while, and just talking. Dan remembered having that old feeling of happiness again, that he used to have when he would discuss life with Serena. Despite the problems her privelaged life had dealt her, Serena always had hope and serenity in her soul, and a thirst for life that he wished he had.

When he was around her, though, he could feel some of that thirst seep into him for a while. It was nice.

The tempature had rocketed in the afternoon and neither of them could take it, so they had spent the rest of the day inside, with Dan attempting to educate her in the delights of film noire with some of the movies he had stored on his laptop for the trip. The old romances in the pictures only served to remind him of Blair, though.

So here they were, at night. The tempature was now at a comfortable state for both of them, and they had ventured out to a restaurant Serena had stumbled upon and loved.

Dan knew the issue that had remained unresolved all day now needed to be pressed upon. He didn't want to ruin the day, but he had to do what he had came out to do.

They were ushered inside by the host, and seated next to a large window, looking out to the ocean, which now had the tide in.

"So, I've been doing some thinking." Serena said, as they ordered food.

"Oh, what about?" Dan answered, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"About New York. About coming home."

Dan was shocked into life. He also felt a huge sense of relief abound.

"I know why you came here, Dan. I do. And that you did come here to bring me back really begs the question; if you really are dating Blair, why are you here, and not there facing the music, with her?" Serena said, propping her head up with her arm placed on the table and her palm under her chin.

Dan was quickly brought back into reality, and the feeling of relief and happiness was washed away.

"Do you want to know what I think?" Serena asked.

"Sure."

"I think this heroic crusade is your minds way of telling you who it really wants to be with. I think sub-conciously, at times of dilemma, when we don't know what to do in life, we are drawn together. Like opposite poles of a magnet. Look, the evidence speaks for itself. We just had an absolutely amazing day. I know you felt that too, you can't deny it." Serena finished.

Something clicked inside Dan's brain. The lightbulb had finally switched on.

"I don't deny it. I did feel something today."

"I knew it."

"A feeling of _nostalgia_, Serena. A feeling that I haven't felt for a long time. But this afternoon, I did realise something. We watched all those great and powerful movies and all I could think about was Blair. About how she would have loved to be the one curled up against me watching them with me. About how I would have loved to have watched them with her. Yes, we had a really good day. But reality has caught up with us, and we have to get down to the real reason I'm here, and not with Blair, who despite being crushed when I left, texted me today and said she _hoped we had an entertaining day out._" Dan finished, the last few words tinged with hurt and regret, as he studied the message on his cell.

"But Dan...I want you. I've always wanted you. It's just now we have the perfect opportunity to start again fresh." Serena said, with a hint of desperation in her voice, as she started to cry a little.

Dan immediately felt all the feelings rush out of him, only replaced by concern for Serena.

Serena stood up, and quickly walked out of the restaurant. Dan just sat there, looking lost. On one hand he felt like he had let down Blair by leaving her to fend off the vultures in the wake of their reveal of their relationship, but on the other, he had let Serena down by causing her to do this.

He apologised to the host, and followed Serena out of the building.

He searched around the area, and found her standing on one of the docks that were lodged out from the beach-head, underneath a dimly lit streetlight.

He caught up to her, and wrapped his arms around her slim body, and let her sob for a few seconds into his shoulder. She let out a few breaths, and then he let her go. She outstretched her arm and leaned on the fence of the dock.

"Serena, what can I do. What can I do to make this better for you?" Dan asked. Even he was starting to feel a lump in his throat.

Serena laughed a little through her tears. "Oh Dan. What it would take is something that I don't think you can give me right now."

"What?"

She stood back up straight, letting go of the fence.

"Come back to me, Dan. Come back to my dads penthouse and spend the night with me, so we can start again. Together. Do you remember that promise we made to eachother last year? We promised that if ever the time came when we would get back together, that we would give it our everything to make it work. So, now is that time." Serena said, cupping his cheek.

"Serena."

She leaned in slowly, leading with her lips.

"Serena," Dan pulled back quickly, "This is not why I came here. It's not. I'm sorry. I can't deliver on that promise. At least not now. Maybe never. I don't know."

The blonde backed away, looking defeated.

"Serena, I can't give you the reason you want you me to give you, to come back."

"Is there any other reason, do you think?"

"Yes. Eric. Chuck. For gods sake, your mom!" Dan said, leaning his back into the fence, still looking directly at her.

"They need you. I don't expect you to be there for me or for Blair. But I would think less of you if you weren't there for the people that love you unconditionally."

It was Serena's turn to feel a rush of regret now. She couldn't even imagine what Eric must have done, after she had left without him. Now she was crying for a different reason.

"Alright."

"Alright, what?"

"I'll come back. But I don't want to see you, Dan. I don't want to see you or Blair once I get back. At least not for a while. I don't know if I can deal with you two right now. I don't want to travel back with you, either. I'll go back to be there for Eric and my mom. I'm not doing it for you or for your girlfriend."

Dan attempted to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, but she pulled away.

"No, Dan. I can't deal with you being my friend right now. In fact I'd appreciate it if you would just leave. I can find my own way home." She said, turning away from him.

"Alright. Thanks Serena." Dan answered, and the two started walking in opposite directions; Dan on the way to find a taxi to his hotel, back to Manhattan, and back to try to rescue what he had with Blair before he screwed that up too. Serena was headed back to the penthouse, alone, but only on route back to where she belonged.

* * *

_AN: Can I just say, I love writing for Nate. The show doesn't give him enough time at all. I think he's turned into the 'everyman' character in the show, even more than Dan. He's the normal guy in the show who just sits back and lets all this craziness happen around him. So, I made the early decision to have Nate be the second main character in my stories, with Dan being the other. That being said, Nate will get darker in this story and go to places his character in the show doesn't really go to. But thats spoilerish, so I'll stop and just say review please!_


	7. Shattered Bass  Part I

_AN: Thanks for the few people that have stuck by me and reviewed, despite me taking a few weeks to update. I hope some of my other readers come back and review soon! _

_These next three chapters are the climax of my version of the last five eps. So enjoy!_

_Just a note - the entire Nate/Chuck scene in this chapter has made me like these two slightly more as friends. I have to admit their dynamic is fun to write._

* * *

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: Love.

Gossip Girl here,

You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; running into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip and fall.

Being in love exposes you to pain and suffering, especially in the supercharged world I love to blog about.

But maybe when you feel those things, you know that what you felt for this person was real, in the end.

xoxo

* * *

Blair opened her eyes. It was dark at first; and blurred, as if she had slept with her face pressed up against the pillow for the whole night. She blinked a few times to regain her focus, and studied her immediate view. All she could see was a view of the Manhattan skyline out of a large window. This could be any number of places, but it certainly wasn't her room in her penthouse.

Blair quickly rubbed her eyes once more, and raised her head off the pillow a little.

"Owohow..." She blurted out to herself, and closed her eyes again; a pain had just erupted in her skull that felt like the drummer of a rock band was using it for a song.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up." A voice said from somewhere in another room.

Blair raised her head again, this time very slowly and gently.

The last thing she remembered of the previous night was Dan leaving her at the loft, going out drinking with Chuck, and coming back to the hotel. "Oh God." She said, seeing flashbacks of kissing Chuck, and falling onto his bed.

A feeling of utter and all-consuming dread crept over her as she surveyed the room.

She rose out of bed as quickly as her severe hangover would allow, and grabbed her dress, which was laying on top of her shoes at the arch leading into the bedroom.

She caught a glimpse of the window again. It was barely morning outside. The sun was almost peeping above the buildings.

She rounded the archway, and immediately got the feeling you get when you really want to cry, but are so furious that it's not possible.

"Sleep well? I know I did. You were you're usual animalistic self." Chuck said, looking serene and calm, while pouring two mugs of coffee.

"Oh no, no, no, no. This is not happening. No. No!" Blair started to say, backing into the nearest wall and looking down at the ground.

"I'm afraid it did, Blair. You were so upset over hum-drum Humphrey, you took me out on the town, we got...well, _you_ got extremely drunk, and lets just say, I then _took you out. _Twice."

"I can't believe this. Are you sick, Bass? I was drunk and crushed! And don't you _dare _mention Dan. You don't get to call him that anymore." Blair answered. She checked her cell, which was deep in her coat pocket. It was only 7am. Dan wasn't due back at the loft until midday.

Blair rounded on Chuck, who still looked calm as a summer breeze, picked up her clutch from the night before and started to hit him as hard as she could, wherever she saw an opening. Her aching body screamed with protest with her every movement, but it felt really good right now to physicially hit something.

"You evil, manipulative, bastard! Dan Humphrey is twice the man you are!" Blair shouted at him, halting the attack, as her body wouldn't allow her any more energy to use.

"You weren't putting up much of a fight last night, okay. I thought this was what you wanted."

"I can't even think right now. I have to sit down. My head is spinning." Blair said, taking a seat on the high-set chairs on the kitchen island. Chuck followed suit.

"Blair..." Chuck said, sighing, "I woke up this morning the happiest I've felt for over a year. Since before Darota and Vanya's wedding. Since before..." He trailed off for a moment.

"Look, we have to think about what this means for us." He finished.

"What this means...Chuck! This means nothing for us! If anything, you've only served to add another hateful memory for me dedicated to our toxic relationship."

"You don't mean that."

"I really do. The only thing I want you to hear now is this, Chuck. This is the end for us. In fact, we ended a long time ago. This can only be a horriric epilogue." Blair said, turning away and heading for the door, collecting her coat and shoes.

Chuck rose out of his seat to stop her. He grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back towards him.

"Let go of me, Chuck!"

"No. I love you, and deep down, you love me, so you arn't walking out on me."

"Chuck, I loved you. I loved you more than I ever thought a person could love someone else. But I think from the events of the last couple of years, I've learned that no matter how much I love you, or you love me, we arn't right or good for eachother, and somewhere deep down inside of _you_, you know that." Blair said, placing her hand on his arm for a moment.

"But we slept together. It felt amazing."

"I'm sure it did. Most likely for both of us. I can't quite remember that well. It's all hazy, but..."

"It felt like we were back in that limo."

"I bet it did, Chuck. Neither of us will ever deny our physical attraction. But thats just the point. Whenever we got past the physicial, and started to settle down, we resorted to games to keep interested, and then we spent six months trying to tell eachother I love you, and then we did. But then the whole thing with Jack happened, and then Jenny, and everything just got destroyed. Whatever happened after that, after Eva was just both of us trying to avoid the inevitable realisation that we bring out the worst in one-another." Blair said, as Chuck grasped at her hand to stop her pulling away.

"When I was with you, Chuck, I was the worst possible version of myself. I want to be with someone who brings out the best in me. Like Darota and Vanya. Like Rufus and Lily." Blair wriggled her fingers away from his, as a tear came down her cheek.

"And you think a low-class nobody from Brooklyn can give you that? You're kidding yourself." Chuck spat out, looking furious.

"Grow up, Chuck." Blair said, turning and walking towards the elevator, much faster this time.

"Where are you going, Blair?"

"I honestly don't know. Anywhere but here."

"You slept with me last night, how are you going to explain that to him, hm?" He shouted as Blair walked out of view towards the doors. She did a one-eighty back into his view and looked at him. Her bottom lip was quivering with both anger and sadness.

"I'm not. I'm going to do what we never did; tell the truth, and beg for forgiveness. As for you, I truly hope Dan comes here after I confess, and you get what you deserve. Goodbye Chuck." She finished, rushing into the elevator.

The elevators closed, Blair slid down onto her heels and broke down crying. Her whole body was shaking.

Chuck pounded the kitchen wall in anger, and began to pace around the apartment. He started to wish they really had slept together; at least he could have took a bit of enjoyment at this failure. Although, she had been fooled, so it wasn't all ruined. There was no way the famously judgemental Humphrey would ever forgive her when she told him what she had supposedly done.

He took a quick gulp of orange juice from the fridge and started to button up his shirt. Whatever was going to happen now, it would definately be an eventful day.

* * *

It was late morning in Manhattan, and Nate and Raina's plane had just landed at JFK. The sun was now up, and Nate was waiting for Raina to complete a last minute business meeting aboard the docked jet. Some of her investors had managed to catch her just arriving in and insisted she address their concerns about a New York branch of Thorpe Enterprises.

Nate reached for his cell phone and started to habitually flip it open and closed. He was in deep thought. He hadn't been able to fully concentrate on anything except Russell's offer to him in Chicago the whole way back; so much so, Raina had to have noticed something was up.

He didn't want to break up with Raina.

But he would do pretty much anything to help support his family. He couldn't deny the offer of paid tuition and help for his father was uncharacteristically generous for Russell. He really did want to have Raina back in Chicago more than anything.

He knew what his father or grandfather would tell him to do. _'Family is the most important thing in the world, Nate._'

He stared at his cell for a few moments, before dialing.

"Nathaniel."

"Chuck. I really need some advice. Best friend to best friend."

"I suppose advice does fall under my duties. Go on."

"Okay. So I arrive in Chicago, and I'm immediately shipped to a 'meet the parents' party."

"Already sounds like torture. Please continue."

"So, get this, Russell pulls me aside and tells me..._you called him and told him I knew about Raina's father!_" Nate said, with an angry tone at the end.

"You made that sound less about a brotherly insurance policy and more about a shameful betrayal, Nate."

"Yeah, I'll let it slide for now, as long as you help me with this. Now the worst part. He tells me he'll pay my college tuition and give my father his job back."

"I'm still waiting for the negative."

"If I break up with Raina." Nate finished, letting out a breath.

"Ah." Chuck said, calmly.

"Yeah."

There was a long pause, as both of them contemplated the situation. Chuck piped up first.

"Well, you haven't signed any kind of contract about this, right?"

"No..."

"Then I propose a double-crossing. You break up with Raina now. She'll be upset, call Russell and tell him you've broken up with her, then I call Raina and tell her everything about her mother. She'll never talk to Russell again, and you two can skip off into the sunset just in time for Russell to transfer you the money. Anyway, your father hates Russell Thorpe. He'd never work for him again." Chuck explained, in his usual scheming voice.

"True. One small flaw, though. Raina will also never speak to you again, after you tell her you knew about her mother too."

"She'll eventually come round when she's given someone else to blame for it all, I'm sure." Chuck said.

The plan sounded do-able. Nate was thoroughly impressed with it all.

"How do you come up with this stuff at the drop of a hat?" He asked, smiling.

"Nate. I'm Chuck Bass."

"Enough said." Nate answered, laughing.

There was another long pause, while Chuck studied the room and saw the heel of one of Blair's shoes on the floor next to the island. He smirked a little.

"So...what have you been doing the last few days?" Nate questioned, casting his eyes over to the arrivals gate, waiting for Raina.

"Oh, this and that. You know me."

"Okay, so whom is this, and whom is that." Nate said, jokingly.

"In fact, I do need to talk to you about something."

"Shoot. I still have a few minutes until Raina finishes."

"Hypothetically." Chuck said.

"Okay..."

"So. What would you say if, _hypothetically, _Blair and I slept together last night?" Chuck said. He felt bad for lying to Nate, but Blair could never find out, at least not until she had crushed Dan with the news.

"Hypothetically? I would think it was something I shouldn't know or get involved in. I'm Dan's friend, too, Chuck."

"I just want to know that you have _my_ back over Humphrey if anything were to happen."

"I guess. But only because I know Dan would just KO you like last year if I didn't stop him." Nate said, trying not to laugh at such a serious thing. He definately didn't support what Chuck had done, but he learned a long time ago never to judge Chuck for some of his more deplorable actions. He also wasn't susprised. Serena had texted him that Dan had travelled to LA to find her, so the next logical step in the long line of mistakes was Blair going back to Chuck.

He let out a long sigh. What a messed up world he was part of.

"Anyway. Can't stay. I have a weekly meeting with the board. Remember, make it seem real, Nate, otherwise she won't call daddy, all upset and forlorn."

"Not so excited about that part of the it, but yeah, thanks, bro."

"Oh, anytime."

Nate flipped the cell off again, and put it back into his pocket, as Raina rounded the corner. Nate stood up and prepared for the start of his plan.

* * *

Serena arrived outside the door of the building her mom and Rufus were temporarily staying at around midday. The sun was glaring down on the streets outside, but Serena felt strangely chilly. She hadn't dressed smartly on her way back from LA; wearing reletively the same amount of clothing as she was doing while on vacation.

Part of her wished she was back with her dad. She really didn't want to face all the drama that lay on the other side of the door she was standing in front of. She had her own problems right now, and the wounds that Dan and Blair had inflicted on her were still open.

She knocked slowly.

"Mom...Rufus..." She called out to the door.

It only took a couple of seconds for the door to swing open, with her mom on the other side.

"Oh my darling daughter..." Lily said, rushing into a tight hug.

"Whoa, Okay! I love you too, mom." Serena said, hugging back.

"Serena." He heard from across the room. Rufus was stood next to the dining table, smiling.

"Rufus. Good to see you." She answered, as Lily let go and moved backward.

"This means Dan managed to persuade you to come back then, I take it?" Her mom said, as they moved over to what Serena thought must be the lounge.

"He did. But I'm here for both of you, and Eric. I'm sorry, Rufus, but if Dan is around the house, I can't be, right now." She explained. Rufus nodded reassuringly.

"I understand. I'll warn you ahead of time if my son is making an appearance. At least for a while."

"Thankyou. I appreciate it."

"We brought some of your stuff from the penthouse to the spare room. You just have to arrange it how you want it." Lily said, sitting down on one of the sofa's, as Rufus followed suit.

"Okay. I'll get right on that. But I do want to hear how everything is going, mom. Afterwards, though." Serena said, nodding to them both.

She closed her bedroom door behind her, and surveyed the space. It was pretty small.

She heard a beep in her pocket.

_'Hey Serena,_

_Hope everything is good. We have to talk soon about LA. It must have been amazing._

_Also I'm here if you need anyone to talk to, or just to keep you company._

_Love, Nate.'_

She clicked off the message, smiled a little, and got back to unpacking.

* * *

Dan opened the windows of the loft wide, as the weather got to the peak for New York in spring, which felt like night time temperatures in LA, but the loft was feeling particularly musty today.

He searched all of the rooms, looking for any sign of Blair, but received no luck. He frowned slightly.

He hadn't had any contact from Blair since she had texted him the day before. He pulled out his cell and sent a message.

_'Waldorf._

_Where are you. I am so sorry for leaving. I did manage to convince Serena to come back. We arn't meant to contact her, though, at least for a while, so she can process everything. I really hope you are okay. I'm at the loft._

_I missed you._

_Dan'_

Dan placed his cell on the table near the sofa, and tried to busy himself by unpacking and making some food. After a few minutes, he sat at the island with a PB and J sandwich in front of him. He wondered whether he should make something for Blair.

He imagined Blair in his head for a moment.

_Her powerfully brown hair, slightly curled at the tips, resting on her shoulders. Her deep, dark eyes; eyes that masked a much older soul inside. Her perfectly rounded, plump lips, and the way they would quiver slightly sometimes when they met his. Her body was a peice of art; it was slender in the right places, but also curved in the right places. Her skin was smooth, but would get so warm at his touch that he would feel like they were on fire when having sex._

_But it wasn't just her looks. That was only a small part of her. On occasion, she had a temper, and sometimes she would be cold and uncaring. She would try to control people too much, so much so, that she often spent more time controlling others than she did herself. She had made countless mistakes, but she wasn't afraid to admit to them. But most importantly, she learned from every single one of them._

_But that was all part of her, just as much as the warm, loving girl that lay underneath that icy exterior. She had a big heart, but also a keen sense of intellect that he had never experienced before. She had an amazing talent for conversation; he remembered times when they would spend hours in bed just debating the different merits and drawbacks of a certain author, or film-maker, or even celebrity._

_When she loved, she loved with all her soul, and would do anything to protect the people she cared about. Even things that would hurt and destroy her, if need be. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it was her._

He quickly rushed over to his book of notes, and started to write down all that he had envisaged. It was what a writer did in moments of clarity. He scribbled for several minutes in silence. Maybe he could show Blair what he had wrote whenever she got back to the loft.

He raised his head quickly, though, as his cell phone beeped from a across the room. He looked at the message.

_'Humphrey._

_We need to talk._

_I missed you too. So much._

_- B. x'_

Dan stood still for a moment, staring at the message. He replayed the words in his head a couple of times. He sat down on the sofa, and started to think of ways to explain why he had left, and how he could make it up to her. He heard a knock behind him.

He took in a breath, and opened the door.

"Hey, you." Dan said, smiling slightly.

"Hey." Blair responded, quietly.

They stared at eachother for a few seconds, before Blair walked forward slowly, and leaned in towards his lips.

They kissed deeply, for what seemed like an age. Dan grabbed hold of both her hands, and caressed her palms gently. Neither wanted to break contact.

"It's getting cold out here, heh." Blair said, ending the embrace.

"Well you will insist on not wearing one of my coats. It's still early spring out there." Dan said, closing the door behind them.

"No way am I subjecting myself to one of your LL Bean coats. I'd rather freeze." Blair said, as Dan feigned hurt, which caused her to laugh slightly.

They both sat down on the sofa, next to eachother. Blair let out a long sigh.

"Look, I want to apologise about leaving. I realise now it was the wrong thing to do, and I lost track of what's truly important. You're important to me, Blair. Even more than Serena is, and I'll do anything to..." Blair cut him off mid-sentence.

"I slept with Chuck." She spat out.

Dan blinked once, quickly, and looked away for a second, not quite sure if he heard what he thought he heard.

"What?"

"After you left, Chuck came here, and I was beyond a wreck. I was so angry and frustrated, so I left and went to a bar somewhere in town; Chuck had to follow me, he didn't want me going alone...I got so drunk, I didn't know what I was doing." She said, all in one go.

Dan looked away from her, looking like he might explode with anger.

"I can't believe this." He said, much more quiet than he had been before.

"I'm sorry, Dan. I was upset, and stupidly I got drunk with the worst possible person. Chuck did this because he wants to break us up, and he knows that you consider sex so important, so he used it against us. He knows that you are the only person I could ever truly love apart from him." Blair said, trying to hold his hand, but Dan backed away and stood up.

"You're right. It's an evil, disgusting thing that he did." Dan said, still quiet, but you could see he was furious, but also very hurt.

"Yeah, it is." Blair said, now also quiet; trying to talk through the oncoming tears.

Dan walked up to the kitchen, and leaned forward against the island, with his hands clasped behind his head, then unclasped, turned around and walked back towards her.

"But you did this, too, Blair. Just because _you were upset, _or drunk, do you think that makes you any less guilty?" He said, louder now.

"No. I just came straight from Chuck's apartment..."

"BLAIR. I don't want to hear about it." Dan said, shouting the first word. Blair immediately stopped talking.

Dan rubbed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to think of something to say. Blair remained seated, with nothing but guilt splashed across her face.

"You know, you can judge Serena all you like, Blair, but _nothing _was ever this hard with her. EVER. Yeah, we had our moments, but for the most part, she made everything easy."

Blair stood up slowly, "I'm so sorry, Dan." She whispered.

"Blair, why did you have to do this?" He asked, looking straight into her eyes.

"It's Chuck. He got me drunk on purpose. He knew I would be at my most vulnerable after you left, and he took advantage of that." Blair said, moving closer to Dan.

"Blair. Whether or not you were drunk doesn't concern me. It's no excuse." He replied, rubbing his eyes again, wiping the tears across his face.

"What can I do, Dan. I'll do anything. I'll never speak to Chuck again." Blair said, desperately. They were now standing face to face. Dan kept looking away from her.

"Blair, _this_. What you've done...it's destroyed us. I seriously can't even...I can't do this." Dan spluttered out.

Blair reached out for his hand again, but he snatched his arm away.

"I have to go for a walk. And when I'm back, I don't want you to be here. You can collect whatever stuff of yours tomorrow while I'm at class with your key. After you've cleared everything out, leave your key under the mat outside." Dan said, turning around and starting to walk towards the door.

"Dan! Please don't go. I think I love you." Blair shouted in his direction.

Dan stopped at the doorway.

"What?"

"Look, Dan. I know this is the absolute worst possible time to say that. But I had to do it in case we really are over, and I never get to tell you." Blair said, through her sobs.

Dan remained still.

"Against all my better judgement, Dan Humphrey. I think...no...I _know, _I'm in love with you, and I can sense that you love me too. Thats why this hurts us both so much. Because we both know we are right for eachother, and we will never find a more perfect partner. Thats all. You can leave now." Blair finished.

Dan rounded the corner until he was almost out of view.

"I have to think about everything." He said, as he dissappeared.

* * *

_AN: So, that was the first part of the three part climax of this story. Hope you liked it, even though it was full of drama. I hope you can all find the beautiful parts of it and also the fun parts. I tried to lighten the ending up with it in some places. Also, I know Serena's part in this was small, but after the last chapter, she isn't a main character in the climax. She does figure in there, though._

_Can everyone please consider dropping a review, as it's a good way for me to gauge how well I'm doing. I'll respond to any that have any questions or thoughts._


	8. Shattered Bass  Part II

_AN: Once again, thanks to those that reviewed. _

_This chapter took me a while to arrange into a good chronological order that made sense and was varied. There's just so much happening to each of the characters on the day this chapter is set that it took me a while to write. I'm also using the majority of the characters, whereas usually I have focused on just a few. The main two storylines are still Dan/Blair/Chuck and Nate/Raina, though. The characters just intermingle a little in this chapter._

_I really enjoyed writing this chapter, though. It includes two scenes I was looking forward to writing ever since I planned them weeks ago. See if you can guess which they are :)_

_Anyway, on with the second part of the three part climax to the story. Review please!_

* * *

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: Rivalries.

Gossip Girl here,

No greater rivalry ever existed than one between two men fighting for one girl. A love triangle. The problem is, it's always about the two guys.

All the best stories are about them; Arthur and Lancelot, Caesar and Mark Anthony, Luke and Han, Clark and Lex, Dawson and Pacey. The list goes on.

But there wouldn't be a triangle in the first place without an equally special girl to come between such dashing heroes. The Guinevere, Cleopatra, Leia, Lana, or Joey of the tale.

Readers, we should all spare a thought for the girl in a story. At least for a moment.

xoxo

* * *

"Alright Chuck, I'm here. What did you want?" Raina asked, standing in the doorway of Chuck's apartment, looking weary. The sun was just starting to rise. It had been a quiet night on the Upper East Side. Chuck hadn't heard from anyone, which was strange, given that Gossip Girl had sent a message out that Lonely Boy had been spotted lumbering around Brooklyn looking thoughtful, and Blair had been spotted leaving the loft later that night, with Darota in tow carrying a case of belongings.

Chuck studied Raina for a moment. She had been crying. The skin around her eyes was red, and bags were starting to form under them. Chuck suddenly felt a little guilty. Nate pretending to break up with her as per his plan had clearly hurt Raina deeply. He had called her a couple of hours after he had spoken to Nate the previous day, and Raina had agreed to stop by at his apartment before she left for Chicago again in the morning. That was all he knew. He would have to wing this situation for the most part.

"Just to talk. I heard what happened between you and Nate." Chuck said, motioning for her to sit down.

"There's not much to tell, really. I thought there was something there, but honestly I think I might have just been a passing amusement. What I keep asking myself, though, is why would he come to Chicago with me, take a really big step in the relationship, then immediately deicde that he wants to break up?" Raina said, almost to herself. Chuck sat down across from her, attracting her gaze.

"Nate is known for his turbulent relationships with women. He sometimes makes drastic decisions too hastily. Maybe I can call him and..." Chuck said, pulling out his cell phone.

"Maybe. I can't figure him out, Chuck. Everything was fine. The only thing I can think of is that my father must have said something. He'd been acting strange ever since the party. He hardly said two words to me on the flight back." Raina explained.

"Here. You need a drink." Chuck said, pouring two glasses of scotch.

"The famous Chuck Bass scotch. Now I feel part of the gang. Isn't this some kind of initiation; having a drunken heart to heart with you?" Raina said, laughing slightly.

"Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it." He answered, smiling wryly. He passed the glass to her, and they both drunk in silence for a few seconds. Chuck laughed under his breath a little, as Raina drank the whole thing in a few gulps.

"You don't become a billionaire heiress without spending a few nights drinking the stress away." She said, watching Chuck, who nodded slowly. He always held a certain respect for girls that could hold their liqour as well as he did, and there weren't many of them. Most of the examples he had met were either russian and therefore used to vodka in the morning, or southern belle's that revelled in drinking unsuspecting men under the table.

"I'm impressed." He said, finishing off his own drink.

"Is that some kind of personality breakthrough for you?" Raina asked, jokingly. They both smiled, but Chuck spotted a hint of sadness in her face.

"Raina." He said, studying her.

"Hm?"

"I did call you to meet me for a good reason, though."

"Well, in all seriousness, I do have to make an early flight soon, so please, get down to business."

Chuck sighed slightly, thinking for a moment. He couldn't think of a way to tell her this while letting her down easy. He also couldn't think of a way to tell her the complete truth without presenting himself, but more importantly Nate in the events. The only way forward was to bend the truth enough to serve both his and his best friends purposes. After all, the plan was to turn Raina against her father without implicating Nate.

"Okay. First and foremost, Raina. I want you to know something. I'm not in the business of destroying relationships between people. But with Nate breaking up with you over this, I've been left with no other choice."

Chuck couldn't help but notice Raina squirm a little in her chair.

"What is it, Chuck?" She said, leaning forward.

"I'm really not the right person to be telling you this. You're going to hate me." Chuck said, looking away from her. He had perfected his guilty face many years ago as a child, while having hundreds of conversations with his father over something he had done wrong, or something he wanted to pretend he was sorry for.

"Chuck. Just tell me."

"It's about your father."

"What has he done now?" Raina said, sighing loudly.

"Well, it's about Russell...and your mother."

Raina immediately lowered her gaze. Chuck knew her mother was a real sore subject for Raina. It was something that he could relate to, as neither of them had had real female role models in life, and both had been raised by unrelenting and ruthless fathers. Maybe he was the right person to be telling her. At least he knew how she would feel in some capacity. He could imagine how Raina was feeling all too easily, after spending all his life thinking his mother was dead, and then having an imposter come into his life the previous year, only to find out she had been working with Jack to steal Bass Industries. It still weighed heavy on his heart even now.

Raina frowned slightly. "If you know where she is, Chuck, just..." Chuck interrupted her.

"She's dead, Raina. I'm so sorry."

Raina stared at him for a few seconds in silence.

"How can you know that, Chuck? What gives you the right to..." Raina said, louder than before, before stopping mid-sentence, and thinking for a moment. Chuck could already feel the emotion in her voice.

"What has this got to do with my father?" She asked.

"It's not just your father, but my father, thats involved. My father told someone I knew about a fire that happened in one of Bass Industries sites years ago. He said that a security guard had been killed." Chuck explained.

"I know about that."

"Well, I didn't think much of it until a couple of weeks ago. Until your father told me that this security guard was only killed trying to save a woman from the fire. Thats what I called you here to tell you, Raina. Your father has spent your entire life lying to you."

"So, what you're saying is, my mother was killed in this fire." Raina said quietly, as a tear started to form in her eye.

"And that Russell has known about it ever since it happened, and let you believe she was still alive."

Raina quickly stood up, and walked over to the window, looking out onto Manhattan. The sun was now peeping above the horizon. Chuck always thought that this time in the day was always the most beautiful.

Raina stood for a solid minute, looking out into the distance in silence. Chuck didn't make an effort to comfort her. He knew from experience that Raina did not and could not be consoled, and especially not by him.

"I don't get why you told me this, Chuck." Raina whispered, still looking in the opposite direction to him.

"I just thought you deserved to know. I just thought if it were me in your position, I'd rather be told the truth than spend my life in ignorance."

"Well, thanks. I feel so much better." She said, sarcastically.

"What am I meant to do now, Chuck? I can't go back to Chicago, but I can't stay here."

"Nate cares about you, Raina, and I'm sorry to heap more secrets on you, but I have something else." Chuck said, walking over to the window and standing next to her. Raina turned her head to face him.

"What?" She said, as Chuck placed his hand on her shoulder gently.

"Nate only ended it with you because your father gave him an ultimatum; if he didn't break up with you, he would destroy Nate's family and future." Chuck said, twisting the truth.

Raina again took a few seconds to process the information. This time, though, what sadness she had been harbouring changed into anger.

"I don't believe this. This is way too much to handle, Chuck."

"I know. I'm sorry that I had to be the one to tell you all this. But Nate wouldn't have broke up with you if he had a choice. You know his family is everything to him, and your father knew that he would do anything for them."

"This is just...crazy." Raina said, sitting down again. Chuck followed.

"I know. But I couldn't let my best friend do this, even for his family. You deserve to be happy, Raina, and going back to a life of secrets and lies with your father just didn't seem fair. I apologise for hurting you, though."

"It's not your fault. This is all my father's doing. I need to go, Chuck. I have to go think about what to do next. Can you call Nate and tell him I need to see him." She said, wiping away the wakes of tears on her cheeks, and heading for the elevator door.

"Yes, I will." Chuck answered, following her to the doors.

"And Chuck. Don't feel guilty for telling me. In fact, I'm actually thankful. You're actually an okay guy, Chuck Bass. Don't let anyone tell you differently." Raina said, before the doors shut and the elevator beeped to go down.

Chuck felt surprisingly awful. He felt a guilt inside that he hadn't felt for a long while. He tried to pick the positives out of what had just occured. He had told the truth for the most part, Russell had lied to her all of her life, and it was right to tell her. More to the point, it seemed like Nate was on the way to being in the clear, both financially and romantically. He had bent the truth to his own benefit, but Nate was what getting what he wanted, Raina finally knew her father's true colors, and now he could press on with his own problems.

He opened up his cell phone and called Nate.

"Nathaniel."

"Chuck..."

"I've been told to call you, to tell you Raina wants to talk to you."

"So, I take it your plan worked, then." Nate said, sounding relieved.

"As usual."

"Good. I still feel dirty, though. It's okay reconciling with Raina, and I'm happy that she knows the truth about Russell. I just can't shake the feeling of dread, knowing I'm just as bad as Russell is. I just hope he comes through with what he promised before he realises we double-crossed him." Nate finished.

"Sometimes we have to do evil things for the ones we love, Nate. It's just part of life."

"It's just part of _our _lives, you mean."

Both of them were silent for a few seconds, before Chuck changed the subject.

"I've got my own problems to deal with, anyway. Brooklyn based ones."

"You know I don't want to hear about that, Chuck. I'm trying to stay neutral." Nate said. He was friends with Dan and Blair just as much as he was with Chuck. This was one situation he really didn't want to take sides on.

"I know. You've still got my back though, yes?"

"Look. I know this is going to get out of hand at some point, and thats the only time I'll even consider it. But yes, if it came down to it, I'd have your back, just like I told you yesterday."

"Good. Look, since you have my back, I don't want to lie to you about anything."

"What now, Chuck?"

"I didn't actually sleep with Blair. I may have just let her believe that we did. It was the only way I could think of to break them up." Chuck said.

Nate couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was beyond anything Chuck had done before. A feeling of utter antipathy passed through his body. He thought of both Dan and Blair. He had never felt sorry for someone as much as he did for them right now. They deserved a shot, and Chuck had taken that away from them. It was disgusting. He made a mental note to make sure Dan knew about what Chuck had done.

"Look, I have to deal with Raina. You go do whatever it is you do, Chuck." Nate forced out.

"Fine. I need to go, anyway." Chuck said, quickly.

"Right. Thanks for telling her, I guess."

"What are friends for?" Chuck said, before hanging up.

Chuck let out a satisfied sigh. Russell was getting what he deserved. He still felt a dull ache of guilt in his stomach, though. He walked towards the window again, burying the ill feeling inside. He stared out at the horizon of a new day, and silently prayed that _he _never got what _he _deserved.

* * *

Serena squinted a little as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight again, as she exited the subway at Brooklyn. She looked around for a moment. She really hadn't forseen herself coming back here for a long time. It all reminded her of happier times gone by, and what she needed right now was to concentrate on helping her mom, and being there for her family. Neither Blair or Dan deserved her time and attention right now, and she still hadn't forgiven Blair for her part in the whole thing. She didn't blame Blair for falling for Dan; he was an amazing guy. What she couldn't forgive was that Blair knew from the very start that Dan would always have a giant piece of Serena's heart. She had confided in Blair so many times about her hopes and dreams for her and Dan, and now it seemed that she had ignored everything and gone after him anyway. If she was angry at Blair for one specific thing, that was it; that Blair knew more than anyone how deep her feelings went for Dan, and she still went after him.

Serena had forgiven Blair for so many things, but this was something entirely different. Serena just couldn't see the end of the tunnel for them right now, and that really scared her. She didn't want to be alone; without a boyfriend _or_ a best friend.

She took a quick left turn and headed up towards the loft, until she was standing directly in front of the building. She looked up to the window she knew was Dan's room. She didn't know if she was ready for this. She checked her cell phone, and opened the message she had received from Blair earlier.

_'S._

_I need to talk to you. Can you meet me at Dan's loft?_

_Love,_

_B.'_

So, here she was. She had spent a while just staring at the phone when the message had arrived; wondering if she should give Blair a chance. The only thing she could think of was that Blair gave her a second chance after she had slept with Nate on the night of the Sheperd wedding.

Meanwhile, Blair was slowly searching through the mess of Dan's room, looking for anything that might be hers. Dan hadn't returned to the loft, and she had waited up for him all night, hoping he would come back. She hadn't held out much hope though. After waking up on the couch that morning, she had started to resign herself to the fact that it really was over between them. She quickly pulled out her cell, and texted Nate.

_'Nate, _

_Can you find Dan and make sure he doesn't go after Chuck. I know he'll do something he'll regret._

_B. x'_

She quickly put her cell away, and went back to packing.

The process that she was now undertaking was extremely slow, as every few minutes she would find something that reminded her of something her and Dan had done, which would cause a small outpour of emotion from her, usually in the form of tears. This kept happening periodically all morning, and it was a painstaking and vicious cycle. She had managed to collect the majority of her things that she had unconciously started to float over to the loft throughout the time they had been seeing eachother.

Blair knew that her and Dan's relationship had only lasted a matter of weeks, but to her it felt like they had been at it since the beginning of college, whether or not either of them had been aware of it. To her, they had been slowly but surely having an emotional relationship ever since they had danced together at Darota's wedding the year before, and maybe even before that. She smiled sweetly, thinking of what the Blair who had ruled over Constance would have said if she had been told that in a matter of years she would be in love with Dan Humphrey. It would have been utterly unbelievable to her. But in the present, her feelings for Dan seemed like a measure of how much she had changed in the last couple of years. In a lot of ways, she had grown up and matured into someone who could open up her mind to new possibilities, and that was truly a good thing.

Right now though, all she wanted was to put things right, and the first step to that was to try to get through to Serena. Serena was the biggest victim in the whole situation, because for her, it meant accepting that her best friend and her first love were in a relationship; a first love that Blair knew Serena wasn't, and may never be completely over. Blair knew Serena would always have feelings for Dan in some capacity, just as she herself would always have feelings for Chuck. They were intimately connected in a very real and enduring way.

The feeling of guilt didn't really kick in for Blair until Dan raised the issue of what Chuck or Serena would think if the two of them were to get serious. She would constantly try and fail to imagine a way that she could tell Serena about her feelings for Dan with the result being positive.

She was by no means ready to give up on her relationship with Dan. Not by a long shot. But after the horrific night she had experienced, all she wanted to do was make amends with her best friend. Th rest would have to come later.

"Hey, B." A voice said from behind her. Blair immediately wanted to cry again. She held it all in, and turned around to see Serena standing in the doorway to the loft.

"Hey, S." Blair replied, quietly.

Both girls studied eachother for a few seconds in silence. Neither had seen eachother in weeks. Blair had avoided Serena from day one of her seeing Dan, and Serena hadn't had the will to chase her around, with all the things that had happened with Lily lately. That was until the gossip girl blast, and that was when Serena had fled to LA.

There was no denying that this had become a recurring moment between the two. Both knew they had one more thing in common to add to the laundry list of things they shared; they both had feelings for Dan Humphrey. Somehow, for both of them, this particular wedge seemed much bigger than when they had been fighting over Nate in high school, though. It was a strange turn of events; best friends who were once so close, now felt miles apart, and all because they both wanted the same thing.

Blair smiled slightly at Serena, who took a few steps forward into the room, and leaned against the island for a second, before placing her clutch onto the nearest chair.

Serena didn't return the smile. She immediately felt twice as angry at Blair, seeing her rummaging through Dan's room. It felt like Blair was disturbing sacred ground.

"What are you doing looking through his stuff?" Serena hissed, as Blair stepped forwards into the doorway of Dan's room, a little closer to her.

"I'm looking for things that might be mine." Blair said, calmly.

"Why? Are you two in some sort of trouble?" Serena asked, still sounding angry.

"Not that you deserve a play-by-play commentry on me and Dan, after the last few days, but yes, I think we're breaking up. Hooray for you." Blair said, frowning, but also starting to get equally angry.

Serena felt a fleeting sense of relief at the news, but then the red mist washed over her again.

"Hooray for me? It's not my fault Dan came to his senses. Anyway, Chuck told me that you slept with him. Big surprise there." Serena said, every word layered with sarcasm.

"Well, I'm sorry I don't just run away from my problems, like you do. Oh by the way, leaving Eric on his own? Nice touch." Blair said, winking at her, angrily.

"What is that suppose to mean? Look, I came here because I thought you were going to apologise, not that it would work."

"What it's supposed to mean is that you did this on purpose! You _knew _Dan would feel like it was his fault and run after you." Blair said, ignoring the last bit of her sentence.

"Thats because I know him better than you ever will!" Serena said; the volume of both their voices starting to rise.

"That doesn't mean you can take advantage of his feelings. That was wrong, S. If anything has made me less apologetic right now, it's your lack of remorse for Dan. It's not just his fault that we got together."

"Oh, trust me, I know that. In fact, this whole thing seems like something you would dream up! You knew Dan was the most important person in my life. You know I still love him, and you took him anyway!" Serena said, moving closer to the archway in which Blair was standing.

"Oh please. I _seem _to remember you choosing to save your two-bit, boarding school _floozy_ over him a matter of months ago. Trust me, I almost saw his heart break as he walked away from you." Blair said, both of them now standing face to face, only a few feet away.

"Which also proves you've been after him since new years!" Serena shouted.

"Irrelevant. What matters here is that you, once again, couldn't deal with the possibility that a guy who was with you, might also think I'm worthy of being with. You know what Serena? Sometimes I think that you're the insecure one in this friendship."

"Wow. I can't believe this is what it's come back to."

"Well if the shoe fits."

A brief silence fell over them. Serena backed away, looking weary. She sat on one of the chairs pulled up against the island and stared back at Blair, who was leaning against the door to the bedroom. In truth, neither of them wanted to bring up the past, but a bad nerve had been hit between the two of them, and because they had both done so many horrible things to the other, it was easy to rehash old arguements. Both let out a sigh.

"We just want who we want, S, and there's nothing we can do about it." Blair said, looking at Serena. Both of them had calmed down slightly.

"That's true. But I wish there was."

"And we both want the same guy." Blair said, as Serena nodded in agreement.

"We do. Are you willing to give up on him?" Serena asked, almost knowing the answer.

"No. Are you?"

"Never."

Blair rolled her eyes. Another silence occured. Neither of them knew what to say, or what to do. Serena was stricken with silence because of how angry she still was at Blair, and Blair refused to talk because she didn't want to say something she didn't mean.

Blair gathered up the last of her belongings that she had found, and packed them all into her travel bag, then walked past Serena, and dropped the bag next to the door. Serena stood up picked up her clutch. Blair sighed once more, and looked back at Serena.

"Let me ask you this, Serena. Are you willing to sacrifice everything for him? Because right now, I am." She asked, staring into the blondes eyes.

Serena considered her answer for a moment.

"Even Chuck?" She said slowly. She immediately sensed a reaction in Blair to the question, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Blair's eyes widened slightly at the question.

This was a huge decision, and was a huge thing to say, especially to Serena, but she knew what the right answer was. At least for her, at that moment.

"Yes. Even him." Blair finally said.

Serena backed away a couple of paces, taken aback by how sure Blair sounded in her answer. She considered what a massive turning-point this was in both their lives. Both of them were willing to do absolutely anything for one guy. This had never happened before. Blair interrupted her train of thought.

"Look, S. I love you. I will always be your best friend, no matter what. But I have to jump into this with both feet. I've spent my whole life dipping a toe into relationships and being hurt and dissappointed." Blair said, solemnly.

"I get that, B, I do. But did it have to be with the only guy in the world I can't seem to live without?" Serena said, frowning.

"I'm sorry, Serena. But I'm going to fight for Dan with all my heart, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." Blair finished, turning to walk away.

She picked up her travel bag and started to walk out, but jolted forwards a few paces, feeling a strong push on her back. Serena had moved across the room and shoved her from behind.

Blair turned around quickly, looking astounded.

"Oh please tell me you did not just do that." Blair said, staring Serena down.

"Oh I did, and there's a lot more where that came from." Serena said.

"Thats it, you're going down, Van Der Woodsen." Blair shouted, running across the room as fast as her six-inch heels would allow.

Serena was ready though, grabbing hold of Blair and overpowering her smaller frame with ease, as Blair's momentum caused them to fall backwards into Dan's bedroom door, pushing it open. Both of them bumped their heads on the door as it flung open, and the fighting stopped for a moment, as they both felt dizzy, each of them lying side by side on Dan's bed.

The ceasefire didn't last long though, as Serena reached out for Blair's hair and Blair lashed out at Serena's. They both tugged at eachothers flowing locks, and both shouted in protest.

"Owwwww...Blair!" Serena shouted, still tugging.

"Get your hoe-bag hands off me, hoe-bag!" Blair shouted back.

The two of them continued to attack eachother for a few seconds with no let-up, before Blair jumped on top of Serena, trying to slap her, while Serena tried to hit Blair on the head with her clutch. Both had success, and the force of Serena's hit caused Blair to fall sideways, but still holding onto Serena.

The fight continued, as both of them did a barrel roll across Dan's bed and rolled out onto the floor at the side of the bedroom.

"What the..." They both heard, as a voice echoed through the loft, coming from the doorway. They continued to wrestle feebly on the floor, however.

While this was still going on, a slender girl with long blonde hair stepped into the loft, hearing shouting coming from the bedroom. She placed her suitcase on the couch, and walked around to the door of the room, and leaned on it, surveying the carnage before her. Blair was now desperately attempting to tear off the bottom half of Serena's dress, and Serena had given up hitting Blair with her clutch, but was now kicking her in the ribcage with her heels.

"Erm, I don't think I've walked in on a _stranger_ moment. This is straight out of the extreme twilight zone." Jenny said, watching Blair and Serena catfighting on her big brothers bedroom floor. Neither of them seemed to be listening to her.

Jenny rushed over to the warzone, and grabbed hold of Serena's left hand, and Blair's right hand.

"No! Stop it!" Jenny shouted, finding the whole moment eerily hilarious.

Both Blair and Serena pulled themselves free for her grasp, as Serena fell backwards onto the bed and Blair pushed Jenny backwards out of the area.

Serena reached out in all directions with both her hands, looking for a weapon to use. She felt something in her palm, and pulled it out from the bookshelf, and whacked Blair on the head with it.

Blair felt it hit her, but it didn't really hurt. She then studied what she had been hit with. Jenny just stood there, jaw aimed at the floor at what Serena had dragged out.

It was Cedric, Dan's cabbage patch kid.

The three girls all stopped moving and stared at the helpless doll, still in Serena's hand.

"Oh my god." Jenny offered.

"What have we become?" Blair said, looking bewildered.

Serena quickly, but gently placed Cedric back in the doll-sized space between all of Dan's books.

"I can't believe I just did that." She said, looking from Blair to Jenny.

Jenny let out a laugh. She didn't want to, but she had to.

* * *

Dan didn't know what he should do. He felt lost. It had been twenty-four hours since he had left the loft, and all he had thought about was Blair. He couldn't get her out of his mind for a single second. Hr couldn't concentrate on anything, all day. He was so angry at the world. Both Rufus and Lily had attempted to talk to him throughout the day, as he took refuge at their midtown apartment. He couldn't face going back to the loft, unless Blair was there.

He had felt a strange feeling in his gut all day; the feeling of loss, as if a loved one had died and he would never get to say goodbye. He felt like he was mourning his relationship with Blair. The one thing that made it worse though, was that he still had feelings for her; feelings so strong that he couldn't stay mad at her. Not even for a day. The only thing he could feel right now was dissappointment, at the way everything had played out. He wished he could go back in time, to before Serena had left for LA, so he could change his mind and decide to stay in New York with Blair.

Both Serena and Chuck had gotten what they wanted. Serena had pushed just the right buttons for him to run after, and Chuck had clearly pushed the right buttons on a vulnerable Blair.

The whole situation didn't make sense. He thought he knew Blair. No matter how drunk she was, he doubted Blair would give into Chuck's advances, if she really was in love with him, like she said she was.

He could already feel the anger building up inside him. Chuck just couldn't leave well enough alone. Even after all the horrible and disgusting things he had done to Blair over their time together, he couldn't respectfully let her go, so she could try to find happiness with someone else. For Dan, that might have been the worst thing. If anyone deserved to be happy in the world, it was Blair. After all the issues and insecurities she had in her life, and constantly fought against daily, Chuck had to pile on more misery.

He had been lying on the couch of the apartment pretty much all day, watching daytime television, and brooding silently. Now the sun was setting and Dan had come to a decision. He wasn't ready to talk to Blair or Serena. But he was definately ready to confront Chuck, and get the truth out of him.

It took him less than an hour to hitch a cab across town to the Empire, but it felt like seconds. He was so deep in thought about what he was going to do to Chuck, that he lost track of the time, and he ended up two blocks past the hotel, before the cab driver remembered where he had asked to be taken to, and stopped the vehicle.

Dan paid the driver, and got out. It was now getting dark, and the streetlamps had switched on moments before he had stopped. His breathing was heavy, but calm. He knew what he was going to do.

"Dan?"

Dan looked around for a moment, before spotting Nate, who was standing on the opposite side of the street.

"Nate? What are you doing here?" He asked, as Nate made his way across to him.

"I followed you. Blair sent me a message this afternoon, saying you might try to hurt Chuck, so I checked in with Rufus and Lily, and they told me you went to the Empire. Gossip Girl's map did the rest. She's been really interested in you since you started dating Blair." Nate explained.

"Dated. Past tense, and Blair sure knows me well, because thats what I'm here to do, anyway."

"I heard Chuck slept with her. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. Chuck is an ass." Nate said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Sure is."

"You know Chuck won't let you anywhere near his suite, right?"

"Yeah...thought of that. Brought this." Dan answered quickly, flashing Lily's Bass Industries passcard.

"Well then...okay. If you're gona do this, bro, I'm going with you." Nate said, smiling slightly.

"Fine." Dan said, emotionless. Nate had only ever seen Dan like this last year, after he had punched Chuck in the foyer of the hotel, when Chuck had slept with Jenny. He looked scarily focused.

It only took the two of them a couple of minutes before they were standing outside the doors to the hotel. The doorman stopped Dan from entering at first, but after seeing Lily's pass, he stepped aside.

Nate studied Dan again, as he pushed the button for Chuck's penthouse in the elevator.

"Dan, are you sure you want to do this? You realise this won't get Blair back for you. Only speaking to her will do that."

Dan ignored him. He wasn't even sure if he was actually going to hurt Chuck. He just wanted to take some pent-up fristration out on him, and he was the only person Dan could of that deserved some extra drama tonight.

The elevator stopped and opened it's doors to a short corridor, with only a couple of doors on either side. Dan didn't know which door was Chuck's.

"Which door, Nate?" He asked, looking at his friend.

"Are you completely sure about this? I can't do anything to stop you?"

"You can punch Chuck _for _me?" Dan said, jokingly, through his anger.

"Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's that one." Nate said, pointing at the door at the end of the row.

Dan banged on the door. A few seconds went by in silence, before Chuck opened the door.

"Well, you two are the last people I thought would be knocking on my door tonight." Chuck said, smiling innocently.

"Not funny, Chuck. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen." Nate said, as both him and Chuck eyed Dan.

Dan rolled up his fists for a moment, fully intending to swing for Chuck. Nate steadied himself, in anticipation of Dan moving.

"Well, then. What are you here for, Brooklyn?" Chuck said, watching Dan.

Dan uncoiled his palms, and thought better of the situation for a moment. He looked at Nate and gave him a look to tell him he wasn't going to attack Chuck. He walked forward and pushed past Chuck, entering the penthouse. Nate followed him, and Chuck shut the door.

Dan stopped in the middle of the lounge, and turned around. Chuck and Nate stopped too, so that the three of them formed the three points of a triangle shape in the space. They all looked at eachother.

"Humphrey, I'm really not in the mood for dramatics, so lets just get down to the bottom line of this whole messy situation." Chuck said, looking at Dan.

"Please do. The least amount of talking I do with you, the better." Dan said, his hands by his sides, for now. Nate felt like he was an innocent bystander, stuck inbetween two sharpshooters at high noon.

Chuck let out a long sigh, and smiled at Dan.

"Look, Dan. She's mine. Always has been, and always will be, and sooner you realise that, the quicker we can all go back to our lives, and lower class scum such as yourself can go back to where you belong..."Chuck said, but was interrupted by a fist flying at him.

It wasn't Dan's, though. It was Nate's.

Nate looked down at Chuck, who had been thrown backwards onto the floor. Chuck looked up at his best friend in absolute wonderment.

Dan was similarly shocked. He grabbed hold of Nate quickly, who had lunged forward to try to hit Chuck again.

"I can't BELIEVE you, Chuck! You have serious problems! How can someone be such a dick to someone he says he loves?" Nate shouted, trying to kick Chuck in the side, as Dan pulled him backwards by his shoulders.

"What the hell? What are you doing, Nate?" Chuck shouted, nursing his cheekbone, which already had a noticeable lump on it.

Dan let go of him, as Nate lowered his fists.

"He's lying to everyone, Dan. He didn't sleep with Blair. He told me this morning. He manipulated Blair into thinking she had slept with him, and let her confess to you, knowing it would break you up." Nate said, looking furious.

Chuck struggled to his feet, only for Dan to gather what Nate had said.

"Oh, you bastard." Dan said, as he rushed across the room, and just as Chuck got back to his feet, he blasted him across the other side of his face, knocking him straight back onto the floor.

This time Chuck didn't rouse. Dan had knocked him out.

Dan looked at Nate, who was still breathing heavily.

"We should go. I need to find Blair, and get her back." Dan said, patting Nate on the back.

"Thanks for telling me." He said. Nate nodded.

"You two deserve a decent chance. You are good together." Nate replied, as they both walked out of the penthouse, leaving Chuck alone, still on the floor.

They both entered the elevator.

"I need to go talk to Raina. I'm meeting her on my grandfather's boat tomorrow morning." Nate said, smiling slightly.

"Good for you, bro."

The elevator stopped at the ground floor, and the two friends seperated.

"Good luck, Dan."

"You too." Dan said, as Nate waved down a cab, and Dan did the same.

* * *

Chuck woke up with a start, and immediately felt pain in both his jaw and his cheeks. He put the pain to the back of his mind, and pulled out his cell phone, and dialed.

"Russell. I need to tell you something. Nate is double-crossing you. He's meeting Raina at the Van Der Bilt boat tomorrow morning. No, Raina doesn't know that he made a deal with you, or that he knew all along that your wife was dead." Chuck said, slowly getting up onto one knee, and feeling dizzy.

He quickly moved over to his bottle of scotch, and started to pour.

* * *

_AN: So, Chuck got what he deserved, but not from the person we all thought it would be. Funny story, actually. I origionally planned it as Dan punching Chuck first, but I went back late into writing and changed it. I felt like Nate needed to be redeemed slightly. Nate is a good guy, in the end, after all._

_Next chapter will be the last of the climax, and after that there's just the epilogue._

_Review, it makes me feel all gushy inside. :)_


	9. New York, Je t'aime

_AN: So yeah, lets clear up the obvious diversion from the last episodes name. Basically, for this chapter I felt I needed to send out a strong message that there will be no wrong goodbye's in this story! Oh no!_

_Anyway, this is the last official chapter of the story. There will be an epilogue though. It's easy to guess what movie my version of the last episode is named from._

_Also, I'm planning a sequel to this story which will depict what certain characters will do over the summer, after the events of this chapter and the epilogue. I haven't decided on it's name yet, but I have decided what it will be about. It will be much less drama-filled than this story was, and will be much more character-driven. I think my best skill is doing the comedy of Gossip Girl, so I'll be returning to that in the sequel. It also won't be episodic, like this has been. Anyway, enjoy. _

_Also, I really want to thank the people that did keep reviewing every chapter, and those that will in the future, after this is completed. You guys make this all even more worthwhile._

_P.S, if you really liked reading this chapter or the story as a whole, but don't review much, please consider reviewing this chapter, as it's the last official one, and probably the one I have worked hardest on to get perfect. Also, I'd like to hear as many opinions as possible on my first attempt at writing for GG, on things I could improve on, and things you think I got right or wrong. Enjoy!_

* * *

To: All

From: gossipgirlxoxo

Subject: The End.

Gossip Girl here,

So, we come to the end of this particular tale.

But don't fret, there's always a story to tell on the Upper East Side, and I'll always be around to tell it.

So in closing, I'll leave you all with a quote from Orson Welles:-

'If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.'

Until we start the story again.

xoxo

* * *

Nate loved the feeling of being on a boat. He loved the feeling of openess. The way the wind immediately became tinged with the smell of the ocean, as soon as you stepped onto the deck. It was amazing; like all the stress and craziness of the city around them was a different world and he had entered into a rare bubble of freedom.

Nate surveyed the Van Der Bilt boat, which was currently anchored in North Cove, one of the many marina's around Manhattan. He reached out to touch the railings that formed the bridge up onto the vessel, and gently caressed the cold metal with his palm. He was home.

He quickly walked up onto the deck and looked around for a second, smiling. His grandfather had set up two loungers, both next to eachother, directly where the best sunlight would hit later on in the morning, when the sun had finally risen completely. In the middle of them was a small table, with a bottle of champagne sat inside a cannister of ice, coupled with two glasses.

Nate was not one to overly flaunt his wealth, owing to the fact he now had none, but his grandfather definately did. Nate figured this gesture was partly a peace offering in aid of his mothers decision to take away his trust fund and finanacial aid, and while he did appreciate it, he didn't think he would ever forgive his family. Especially after what they had forced him into doing now; making a deal with Russell Thorpe for money.

He just hoped Chuck had the decency to not betray him in the deal. After all Nate had done for his former best friend, he certainly owed him that much.

That feeling of dread inside his stomach was starting to appear again. This was why he always endevoured to not get involved with the various plans and scheme's his friends would concoct, if possible. He didn't like to be backed into a corner, and he really didn't like having to lie to people. Whenever he was forced to tell a white lie, or hide a secret, it always seemed to come back and bite him in the ass. He vowed this would be the last time, and prayed that this time karma would forgive him and things could return to some kind of normalcy.

He sat down on one of the loungers and started to pour out the drinks. The sun was starting to glare down, being reflected by the water.

Now all he had to do was wait for Raina to come. That was all that mattered now. He studied the horizon for a few seconds, thinking of what the future may hold for him and his friends. So much had changed since just a couple of years ago. In high school, he would have followed Chuck into anything, and stood by him through the worst of times. They were best friends. But now, he couldn't see how they could ever be the same.

He chuckled a little under his breath at the thought of what the day held for Dan and Blair. They had made such a collosal mess of their relationship so far, if anything good happened they would consider it an improvement. He made a mental note to ask Dan how everything went when he got some free time in the next few days. He really hadn't had a chance to talk to him about what was between him and Blair, because of his own huge problems lately. He had a feeling, though, that Dan would need a friend and ally if he was going to start a public relationship with Blair Waldorf, even that ally now had just as bad a reputation in the upper east side as he did.

Nate smiled widely, and he felt a jolt of life flash into him, as Raina pulled up in her limosine. She stepped out, and waved up to him. She was wearing a long floral summer dress and had her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Nate walked over to the entrance to the deck, and helped her make the step onto the boat from the bridge. They both stared at eachother for a couple of seconds. Neither had spoken to eachother since Nate had broken up with her, apart from a single phonecall that Raina had made, telling him that Chuck had told her everything and that he shouldn't feel guilty about the whole thing. Her reassurances didn't really help. Nate didn't know how to react. He couldn't work out what her intentions were. But as if she had sensed his trepidation, Raina closed the distance between them, and pulled him into a hug. She nestled her chin at his collarbone, and Nate held her tight. He inhaled slightly, and breathed in her scent, and for that moment, he knew everything he had done had been worth it. "Hey, I'm sorry for all this. I didn't know what to do when we got back from Chicago. Oh, and by the way, your father? Bit of a dick." He said, as they released eachother, and Raina stepped back.

"Thats just that tip of the iceburg with him, believe me." Raina answered, sighing. "Anyway, I'm not here to talk about him. Honestly I could care less. I want to tell you that we don't have to break up now."

"Good, because I don't want to break up with you. Breaking up sucks, haha." Nate said, smiling awkwardly.

"Good." Raina repeated, smiling again. Nate this time moved closer, and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. It was the type of kiss that both participants could sense the other was smiling. Nate felt all the worry flow out of him.

They both sat down on the loungers, and started to drink the champagne.

"So, I wanted to ask you something." Raina said, relaxing into the seat.

"Yeah?" Nate said, before leaning over quickly. "This isn't about Chuck is it, because I know you must be angry with him, and honestly I'm furious with him myself..."

"No, no. I wanted to, sort of, clear something with you. Well, now I'm staying, I'm thinking of leaving Thorpe Enterprises and starting my own company. Here, in New York. I haven't thought about any of the fine details yet, but I think I might be able to find a place for your dad, if he doesn't mind working for me." She finished, searching for a reaction.

Nate didn't have to think for long. "Hmm, well it's okay with me. I'll have him call you, I guess."

"Yeah, you do that." Raina said, taking another sip of her drink, and laying back. The sun was now nearly completely risen. Nate reached out his hand across the table, and Raina placed her palm in his.

The two of them entered a comfortable silence for a few minutes, holding hands, and just relaxing. Neither of them felt lime much had to be said. Also, they were just tired of the stress and drama, and wanted to just spend time together.

Nate's cell phone started to ring. He grabbed it from the table, and looked at the ID. It was Chuck. Raina spotted the name, and watched Nate press ignore.

"Whats up with you two? You having a lovers tiff?" Raina said, laughing slightly. Nate rose up in his seat and and started to walk forwards to the front of the deck, which looked out onto the long stretch of water between them and the other side of the marina. He sighed loudly, and crossed his arms, looking out to sea.

"I think it might be a little more than that. I don't know, I just think everyone is starting to grow up in my world, and we're all changing, whether for the good or the bad. Thing is, Chuck just seems to be getting worse as he gets older. I thought he'd mellow out eventually, but this obsession he has with Blair has really twisted him up inside."

Raina followed him to the front of the deck, and placed her arm around his waist.

"We all change eventually, Nate. We all grow up. Maybe you and Chuck weren't meant to last as best friends. Maybe you're meant to have a new best friend now." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Nate smirked a little, thinking of Dan. He was totally different from Chuck in every way. The two of them had never seen eye to eye, and after the previous night, probably never would. There was too much bad blood between them. "Yeah, I'm just scared." Nate said, sighing.

"Change is the scariest thing in life. Thing is, it's sort of inevitable." Raina replied.

"When did you become all deep and sage like, anyway?" Nate said, trying to lighten the mood. Raina nudged him with her hip, feigning insult.

"I'll have you know I'm a smart girl, maybe too smart for my own good, sometimes." She said, letting go of him, and sitting on the edge of her lounger.

"Oh, you'll love it with me, then. I get confused at the very thought of introspective thinking." Nate said, sitting next to her.

She silently mouthed the word 'Introspective' at him. "You learned a new word! Thats a start." She said, laughing.

"Now I know what that feeling was when I first started to date you, it was the harsh tinge of being judged!" Nate joked, turning towards her and dropping his chest on her, forcing her backwards onto the lounger, while trying to tickle her. Raina playfully tried to fight back.

"I think that tie of yours is restricting blood to your brain, Archibald." Raina said, between fits of laughter. Nate finally stopped, and Raina stared up at him, his sleak but athletic body canvassed over hers. She was just about to lean in, as a familiar voice called out to her. Nate had clearly heard it too.

The electricity that had been pumping through Nate's body up until that moment had now immediately withered away, replaced by panic.

"Thats my dad's voice." Raina said, as Nate pulled himself off of her.

"Raina?" Russell shouted from the dock.

Nate stepped back and tried to think of something he could do. His mind was suddenly blank. Raina stood up, and watched her father in disgust as he strode across the bridge and onto the deck. Nate did nothing to stop him. Raina backed up a little, so she was standing next to Nate. Russell studied the scene for a moment, looking from his daughter to Nate, and back again.

"What a sight this is. It's truly poetic." Russell said, emotionless as stone. Nate was stricken mute by the whole situation.

"What are you doing here, dad? I thought I made it clear with my resignation that I didn't want to see or hear from you ever again." Raina spat out, angrily.

"Yes, well, I think it's time we all made everything clear, don't you, Nathaniel?" Russell said, looking at Nate.

Raina gave Nate a look of confusion, then looked back at Russell. "Whats that supposed to mean?"

Nate just stood there looking helpless. He had the feeling that he assumed everyone got when they knew they had been caught and couldn't think of any way to get out. In the space of a few seconds, he had gone from total happiness and content, to resigning himself to his soon-to-be grim fate at the hands of Russell Thorpe. He couldn't help but feel like Chuck had a hand in this somewhere, but ultimately he blamed himself for both trusting Chuck, and for initially agreeing to Russell's deal in the first place. He knew now that the only real victim in this whole thing was Raina, the only person he had truly wanted to keep from being hurt.

"Not feeling particularly chatty, Nate? Well then, I'll have to say it for you, then." Russell said, giving Nate one more chance to spill the beans. Nate stayed silent. It wasn't that he was scared to admit what he had done, now that the small chance of him getting away with it had dissappeared, it was that he didn't know if he could find the words.

"Mr. Archibald and I had a talk while you were in Chicago, Raina." Russell said, but was interrupted.

"I know all about it, dad. You told him you would destroy his family if he didn't break up with me." She said, furious.

"Oh no, thats not the full story, is it, Nate? Thats just what you and your, I hear, _former _best friend planned to tell you. What really happened was that I offered Nate here his college tuintion and his father a chance at a job, in return for breaking with you, and he gleefully accepted. But Nate and Chuck tried to double-cross me. He took my money for breaking up with you, but then tried to renege on our deal and turn you against me." Russell explained, looking deep into Nate's eyes.

"Well, more fool you for paying him without assurances. Seems to me like you're just bitter you were beaten, dad." Raina said.

"Okay then, I didn't want to tell you this, Raina, but since you won't accept he's lying to you, I'll have to prove it. It's true, your mother is dead, and she did die in that fire at Bass Industries. But Chuck isn't the only one who knew from the start. He got drunk, and told your boyfriend every single sordid detail, and he _still _went through with the deal, knowing everything about your mother. He knew, all this time." Russell finished, and for the first time ever, Nate saw him smile slightly.

"What? Nate, tell me this isn't true." Raina said, looking at him.

Nate froze on the spot. He had two choices here. He could dent everything, but the only person who might have backed him up against Russell was Chuck, and that certainly wasn't going to happen. The only way Russell could have found out that him and Raina were meeting on the boat was Chuck. On the other hand, he could tell the truth, and most likely lose Raina, and be back at point one, but with a clear concience. He thought of what Dan would do. Dan would do the right thing, even if it would hurt the one person he didn't want to, and break his own heart in the process. Maybe it was time to stop living the way Chuck would tell him to do, and start listening to what he thought was right.

"I'm sorry, Raina. It was Chuck's idea..." Nate said, preparing a lengthy and heartfelt apology, but Raina was already moving towards him. He barely had time to brace himself before Raina slapped him square across the face.

"I thought you were different." Raina said. Nate was awestruck. He had never been slapped before and thought he deserved it afterwards.

Raina did a quick one-eighty, and marched past her father, but then stopped. "I've had it with both you. I've had it with this town. I don't ever want to see _either_ of you again." She almost shouted, before storming down the bridge and getting into the car that had brought Russell to the marina. Nate averted his eyes as the limo sped away. He could feel a lump in his throat.

"Seems my work is done." Russell said, starting to turn away.

"Didn't you hear her? She doesn't want anything to do with either of us." Nate uttered quietly.

"Yes, but I'm her father, Nathaniel. We're family and she'll eventually forgive me. You on the other hand, well, we might aswell stick a fork in you, because you're done." Russell joked, walking across the bridge to leave. Nate could feel the same anger rise up in him as he had felt in Chuck's apartment just a few hours before. He quickly went after Russell.

He caught up to him, and grabbed hold of Russell's suit, forcing him around. He curled up a fist and started to strike. Russell started to flinch, but Nate stopped inches from his face, and thought better of it.

"I should hit you. But through all this, I've learned something. Sometimes it's better to do nothing and wait for karma to catch up to someone. Becuase it always does. I should know." Nate said, letting Russell go, as another car pulled in and took the businessman away.

Nate slowly moved up onto deck again, picked up the bottle of champagne, and took a big gulp disgusted with himself. His cell phone beeped again. The message ID was _'SERENA.'_

* * *

Chuck woke up groggily. He immediately felt the lingering pain of his black eye and his severely bruised cheek bone. He smirked slightly; this was nothing. He had been much worse before.

He quickly rose out of bed, and started to clear out what was left of the many empty bottles and stained glasses from the night before. After Dan and Nate had left, and he had called Russell, he had called in every single easy girl that he knew from his black book, and had one hell of a party. It seemed as if none of them had stayed behind for round two, though, as the apartment was empty, aside from him.

After he had cleared most of the wreckage up, he opened the blinds of the windows, and squinted out into the city below. He smiled sweetly at the knowledge that Nate would have gotten his deserved punishment by now, and it would take a while, but he would eventually get his best friend back. Whatever people would say, he really did care about Nate. He considered more like a slightly more innocent brother than his friend, a brother that sometimes needed teaching not to step out of line and start fraternising with the unworthy, and Dan Humphrey was exactly that. All he could hold onto now was that by whatever means, no matter how evil or deprived, he would get Blair back. He would get her, and he would keep her. Maybe then he would hang up his scheming boots and settle down to the business of getting control of Bass Industries. He tried and failed to not imagine Blair running into the arms of Dan Humphrey. If he could forsee what hell might be like, this was close to it as you could get while on earth. He poured a glass of water to quench his thirst, and felt a shot of pain as the water touched the inside of his injured cheek. His sanity was eerily close to breaking. He tried to think cohesive thoughts.

"Oh, nephew of mine, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Chuck turned around and saw Jack Bass peer through the gap in the slightly opened door. He quickly walked over to the door, and rammed it closed, nearly breaking his hand on the hard wood.

"That's no way to treat your boss, now is it? Come on, open the door." Jack said coyly, as Chuck grudgingly inched it open again.

"What is it that you want, Jack?" He asked.

"Neighbors were getting _pretty _annoyed about all the racket coming from this apartment all night, so the hotel staff called me. Since this is the only thing I can't take from you, since it's in my brothers will, I can at least police you whilst you live here." Jack muttered, giving the door a powerful push. Chuck had little energy left after his activities the night before, so he relented and let Jack come inside.

Chuck sat down on the only sofa that wasn't either turned upside-down or propped up against a wall, and held his head in his hands.

"I told you this would happen, Chuck. Last year, I said you weren't _ready _for a responsibility like running Bass Industries. Hell, you can't even run your own life. You haven't even got the one thing your shriveled old heart truly yearns for, anymore." Jacked said, pacing around the room, clearly enjoying this thoroughly. Chuck just sat in the chair, slowly losing his grip on his temper.

"And to lose Blair to a low class, poetry writing, brooklynite. You should have let me have her last year, at least then she'd still be in the family." Jack continued, as Chuck curled his fists involuntarily.

"Don't you dare talk about her. EVER." Chuck said, shouting the last words.

"Lets take a look into your future, Chuck. I see...you...bitter and alone, with nothing except this crappy hotel to your name, and all you'll have to hold onto are your memories, of the _good ol' days, _when you had Blair Waldorf on your arm, and Bart wasn't dead, and you had a family and a business."

Chuck didn't have the power to fight back with words or actions. He just languished in his suffering. A realization that maybe everything Jack was saying was his true future.

"You'll be sat on a bench alone in central park, while in the distance, your complete opposite marries your one true love, with your former best friend as his best man, and your adoptive sister as the maid of honor. Oh how beautiful it'll be. Maybe I'll go, who knows. I'll have to think of a gift." Jack finished, laughing slightly under his breath.

He turned to walk out of the room, but stopped before he closed the door. "Pathetic." He said, before slamming it shut.

Now Chuck was sat in silence. He sat there for a few minutes, just contemplating his life.

Suddenly a mini dining room table was thrown through the air, and crashed through the glass window to the apartment. Chuck had erupted out of his chair, and launched the nearest thing across the room as hard as he could. He then grabbed hold of one of his solid gold awards from his bedroom cabinet, and started to smash everything in the apartment that was able to be smashed. He broke all the priceless glass that he kept away from the lounge so nobody would use them for parties. He wrecked the beds and sofa's as best he could, and began to throw all his pictures and other sentimental items in the junk.

He came across a picture. It was of him, Serena, Blair and Nate, all with arms over eachothers shoulders, and all smiling happily. He tore it off the wall, and threw it out of the window that had been broken earlier and watched it tumble down fifty floors to the parking lot behind the hotel, until it was so small that he couldn't see it smash on the ground.

* * *

Nate was still laying on one of the loungers, watching the waves go up and down against the hull of the boat, as the sun started to set over the Manhattan skyline. He had lost all feelings of regret and sadness throughout the several hours of thought he had had since Raina left. He considered where he had gotten to in life, and decided that at the point where he was, he was on the tipping edge of a knife. He could go either way, right now. He had one of those big, character defining decisions to make, and because Dan had something else pressing on his mind, he had called one of the few other people in the world that he truly trusted the judgement of. He needed to talk to someone who would actually listen. He just needed someone to voice his thoughts onto, that wouldn't judge him when he went into the dark or embarrassing stuff. He needed someone who had seen his darkest and lightest points, and whom he had seen the darkest and lightest sides of.

"Hey." Serena said.

"Hey." Nate replied.

Nate patted the other lounger slowly, as the blonde understood the gesture, and laid down across from him. He reached over to the side of the deck, and picked up his shades. The sun was starting to hurt his eyes.

"Serena...how did we both get to this? I have spent pretty much all day thinking about it, and I can sort of work out my pathway to this, but I'm coming up with next to nothing on how you managed to end up here." Nate mused, looking at her.

Serena searched her own mind for the answers. How had she gotten here? The events were too vast and complicated to even fathom. From Dan, to Blair, to Chuck, to Nate, to her mom and all her problems, to her dad and the effect he had on her, it all seemed like a huge blur.

"Honestly, I know less about the inner-workings of my life than you do. Lets face it, Nate, if either of us put any stock in thinking about our decisions and planning them before we made them, we wouldn't be in these situations we always seem to find ourselves in." Serena answered, drinking the last bit of warm champagne from the last bottle next to Nate.

They bogth let out a sigh in unison, then both let out a laugh at the timing.

"We're too similar, do you know that?" Serena said, smiling at him.

"We are. We've both let our domineering and much more sinister best friends rule our lives, and look where it's gotten us. You're not friends with Blair right now, and I don't think I'll ever forgive Chuck for the awful things he's done." Nate said, turning onto his side, facing Serena.

"Thing is, Blair is looking like he's growing up and moving on, leaving me without someone to control my craziness."

"And with Dan, no less. Who'd have thunk it?" Nate said, laughing slightly, but stopping after seeing the look on Serena's face. "Sorry. Too soon?"

"Just a little. But again. it just shows how mad our lives have turned out. Those two. They hated eachother in high school." Serena said, almost to herself, rather than to Nate.

"Things change." Nate said, jumping to his feet, and going back to the edge of the deck, with only a barrier between him and the open water. The sun was cloaking everything in a dark orange sort of color.

"If anyone knows how much things change, it's us two." Serena said, now standing next to him.

A few moments of silence passed by, as they both were stuck in thought, staring out to the horizon.

Nate came upon an interesting thought.

"Hey, do you want to go sailing?" He asked.

Serena laughed a little, feigning excitement. "Oh my god, can we go fishing?" She said, jokingly.

"Oh yeah...but there's a problem." Nate said, pretending to be worried.

"What?"

"The _servants_ did all the fishing before, and I never learned." He said, laughing.

"Well, watch and learn, Archibald." Serena, said, finding a fishing rod propped up against the wall near the steering wheel.

* * *

If anything was true, the one glaringly obvious thing in this world was that Dan Humphrey did what he was told to do, and now, he was standing on the roof of the building that housed the loft, just as Lily had told him to earlier in the day. He clicked open his cell phone and checked the message.

_'Daniel, _

_Please go to the roof of your building at 8pm, it is very important._

_Love,_

_Lily.'_

So, here he was.

He was tired, and he was anxious. He had spent all day chasing down Blair, but after calling her all day and getting no answer, the only communication he had received was from Lily in the afternoon. The sun was now completely set, and night was starting to begin. The rooftop was plunged into darkness, apart from the dim lights from the streetlamps below, and the light of the moon from above. Dan quickly turned on the light that was attached to the wall that connected the door to the roof and the stairs down into the building. He could at least see what was around him now.

Dan stepped back over to the edge of the rooftop, and propped his arms up on the five feet high brick barrier that stoppedanyone from falling. He definately liked the city better at night. It reminded him of all the films he had seen depicting old New York; the glitz and the glamour, but with undertones of real magic and drama. Living where lived, he felt like he was part of history. He was in the city where all those amazing characters would have lived and died in.

His life had turned out to be quite different, though. If anyone ever made a movie about him, it would most likely be a story of exploration. A tale of a small-town guy made big. A story where the guy thinks he's finally got it all, and then it's repeatedly ripped away from right under his feet, but then at the end, he realises everything he wanted before wasn't what he wanted now. That maybe it was about the journey rather than the destination.

Maybe he was destined to constantly be chasing something he would never catch. He let out a long sigh, and blinked a few times to regain focus. But suddenly he perked up slightly, as he heard a voice echo around the rooftop. The voice he'd wanted to hear desperately for forty-eight hours. He turned around and saw Blair Waldorf, standing in the doorway to the roof. They both looked into eachothers eyes. Dan felt a feeling of warmth wash over him, even though the air was cold and there were no heaters outside the building. "What are you doing here?" He asked, quietly.

Blair took a few steps forward, and smiled knowingly.

"What would you say, If I said I've been walking around Brooklyn all night, with one, all-consuming, paralyzing thought." Blair said, both of them still searching the others eyes.

Dan let out a slight laugh. "Oh, I don't know, I'd say something snarky like, '_Why have I been walking around Brooklyn, when I live in the city?'"_

"Seriously. I have been." Blair said, the two of them edgeing ever closer.

"Well, seriously. I'd say that it's times like these when even I have to admit how crazy this world we live in truly is."

"I know exactly what you mean." Blair said. They were only a couple of feet apart now.

"So, what are we going to do here, Waldorf?" Dan said, inclining his head slightly.

Blair thought for a moment, before speaking. "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I got your messages all day telling me what Chuck told you last night. I shouldn't have let him manipulate me, like he's done so many times."

She grabbed his hand, and held it tightly, as they moved only a couple of feet from touching.

"Dan, I'm always going to have Chuck to deal with, just as you're always going to have Serena to deal with. But I don't want to be with Chuck. I'm here, trying to be with you." Blair said, now holding onto both of his hands, and standing face to face.

"You don't have to apologise. We just have to trust eachother from now on. I do trust you. It's just Chuck twists everything around him. Lets both be sorry, and have done with it." Dan said, and Blair smiled widely. She felt relief rush through her body.

Dan raised his eyebrows, coming upon a thought. "I still can't believe Blair Waldorf is in love with me." He said, smirking at her happily.

"Well, believe it, and trust me, I have never been so sure of anything." She answered, swinging his arms from side to side slightly, and looking down at the floor.

"This is really not how my life was supposed to play out." He said, pulling her closer, so they were almost touching chests.

"But it's right, Dan. Want to know how I'm so sure?"

"Yes?"

"Because of how easily I said it. I said 'I love you, Dan Humphrey', and it was easy. You have no idea of the gravity of that gesture to me. That I didn't spend weeks playing games with you, or expect you to say it first, or expect anything in return. I put myself out there, completely, with no difficulty at all." Blair finished, feeling content inside. It was a completely new feeling to her. She had felt pure happiness before, but she had never felt so perfectly content with what she was saying. It felt amazing. A pure natural high.

"And you did with Chuck in senior year, right? I remember you coming to me for advice, heh." Dan said, smling.

"Yes. We spent months trying to get eachother to open up. But with you it only took a deep breath, and a few seconds to lay it all on the line, and now, somehow I feel like more of a person for saying it. Does that sound strange to you?"

"No, not at all. It's the same feeling I'm getting right now, and I'm gona quote a dear friend here, and say, Blair Waldorf, I am ass-backwards in love with you." Dan said.

Both of them felt a natural pull towards the other, and before either of them could work out why, they were kissing. It was a long, passionate and enduring kiss. Dan could feel the longing she felt for him, and Blair could feel the same. Everything in the world seemed to stop, and all their previous issues and problems seemed to wash away with that one confession from Dan. Blair felt like she was on the edge of crying from the joy building up inside of her. It was both scary and wonderful at the same time.

They finally broke apart, and came up for air. Dan couldn't stop smiling. "And hey, I am from Brooklyn, as you quite rightly stated, which must have presented quite the challenge, hm?"

Blair laughed slightly. "Well, I am an ambitious girl."

"That you are."

They kissed again, and the force of Dan's kiss pushed her backwards against the nearest wall, next to the door to the stairs. They only stopped so Blair could speak.

"Oh by the way, I think we have a couple of guests." She said, knocking twice on the door, and immediately appeared Rufus and Lily, both smiling happily. Rufus had his guitar with him.

"Oh no, don't get him started, he'll never stop!" Dan jokingly protested, as Lily tagged along with a medium sized speaker, connected to the guitar, and his dad setup to play.

"Come on, go with it, Humphrey." Blair said, pulling him out into the center of the rooftop, and placing her arms around him, and starting to sway, as Rufus started to play.

_Isn't it strange the way things can change,_

_The life that you lead turned on its head,_

_Suddenly someone means more than you felt before,_

_Her house and its yard turns into home._

_I'm sorry but I meant to say,_

_So many things along the way,_

_So this ones for you..._

The two of them swayed in the moonlight, as Lily watched from afar, smiling, and Rufus carried on playing. Dan aimed his head towards her ear. "Really?" He said, sarcastically.

"Really." Blair said, smiling to herself.

"How did you persuade my dad to help you, anyway?" Dan asked.

"Dan. He's in Lincoln Hawk. They arn't exactly beating bookings off with a stick." Blair said, which caused Dan to laugh slightly. "And besides, he only wants you to be happy. Even if it's with a Waldorf."

"I'm beginning to realise that maybe a Waldorf is what I needed from the very start." Dan answered, both of them still swaying.

_Have I told you I ache,_

_Have I told you I ache,_

_Have I told you I ache for you?_

_The time that it took writing words for my book,_

_Seems to have broken in half,_

_The gate that I shut last time i got hurt,_

_Seems to have opened itself..._

_Oh the world, its spinning now, its trying to catch me up,_

_And tell me to appreciate the here and now..._

Dan continued to whisper into her ear. "I don't know much that's certain in this world right now, Blair, but I know that I want to be with you. Right here, right now, and I know there's still so many things trying to keep us apart. But now I feel like there's a million reasons why we should stay together."

_I'm sorry but i meant to say,_

_Many things along the way,_

_So this ones for you..._

_Have I told you I ache,_

_Have I told you I ache,_

_Have I told you I ache for you?_

Blair blinked a coupleof times, still trying not to tear up from the sense of pure joy. She wanted to address his concerns though, and put them to rest. "Dan. Don't ever feel like you're out of place with me. Ever. This might the hardest thing I've had to admit tonight, but without you in my life right now, I feel out of place, no matter where I am. So I need you with me."

"I'm right here." Dan said, quietly.

_Have I told you I ache,_

_Have I told you I ache/and I hope its not too late..._

_Can I hold you and ache for you?_

"Thing is, Dan, I have been wrong for years now. There was never anything about you that needed changing. There never has been, and there never will be..._Je t'aime_." Blair said, kissing him again.

Rufus stopped playing the song, and put down his guitar. Dan and Blair seperated for a moment, and motioned for Lily to come over. Dan hugged his dad, and Blair hugged Lily, before the married couple stepped away and started to leave the rooftop through the door.

Rufus looked back at Lily. "Did you just get a weird sense of Déjà vu, there?"

Lily shut the door, and watched Rufus. "Yeah. They remind me of us."

**THE END.**

* * *

_AN: So yeah, thats the end. Please review!_

_P.S I expected that song part to come out less messy. The song is called 'Ache' By James Carrington, for anyone who wants to listen to it.  
_


	10. Epilogue

_AN: Thanks to everyone who enjoyed this story and reviewed, it's all very well and good to read a story, but the truly beneficial part of writing on this site is when you are critiqued by readers and fellow writers; it's how I get better at my passion. _

_Thanks to the people who said the last chapter was their favorite. It was mine too, although this chapter came close, as it's a much more casual write for me. This epilogue will be more of a wrap-up to the storyline, but could easily have been considered a one-shot if I'd posted it on it's own. _

_With hindsight, I'm gona give my fans what they want, and keep this chapter light, fun and Dair-centric!_

_P.S - I'll be revealing the synopsis of the sequel at the end of the chapter. The title will be in the authors note. In the spirit of the sequel, there will be no Gossip Girl intro to the epilogue. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Look, this is pointless, I'm never going to get it! As much as I appreciate you offering your services, I resent wasting our time on this, Humphrey." Blair whined, throwing up her hands in protest.

It had been almost a month since Dan and Blair had danced on the rooftop of the loft, and in that time, Blair's insecure and overprotective nature had only increased, now they were out in the open for everyone to judge. It was only a day after they had made up when Gossip Girl had announced them to the world in her own uniquely negative way, which had led Blair to start a war of attrition against her; first sending a text straight to her, thanking her for years of airing her dirty laundry, and telling her that Dan and Blair were indeed a solid couple, but refusing her any new information. This had started a week-long effort to only sneak around the city in the evening, in an effort not to be seen, and therefore starve Gossip Girl of news-worthy events. It took only a few days after that for the blogger to declare a truce between her and the new couple, proclaiming that she would not bother them too much over the summer. There was enough scandal going around, anyway, with Chuck fleeing to parts unknown and Lily being aquitted of all charges, after a lengthy litigation and hefty settlement between her and the Donovan household.

With the traumatic events of the past six months firmly behind them, Dan and Blair went back to what they knew best. They went about seperating their time between going to the movies and spending time together both at the loft, and now they were public, Blair's family apartment. Eleanor wasn't around much, owing to her new summer collection being picked up by Bendel's all across the world, which meant she had to travel between Paris and New York regularly. Cyrus, however, was around more than ever, and loved seeing Blair with Dan. He called them a pair of star-crossed lovers, and made no attempt to hide his delight at seeing his step-daughter embracing a more open-minded outlook on life.

They would spend evenings eating with Rufus and Lily back at the Van Der Humphrey penthouse, talking about what their plans were for the rest of the summer, and afterwards, Rufus would give Dan one of his guitars so he could try to teach Blair some songs. Dan loved introducing his girlfriend to new things, and Blair found the passion Dan had for music extremely sexy. So much so, that they didn't manage to get through many of his lessons, because Blair would eventually jump him, and the rest of the night was lost in intense and passionate love-making. Blair had to give Dan credit, he was already getting the hang of knowing which buttons to press with her to get her begging to rip his clothes off. She found this new element in their relationship to be the last piece of the jigsaw, and couldn't help but become even more happy and content with her lot in life as a result.

At weekends, they would spend time with Nate, who was now living with Dan at the loft, and managing the gallery full-time for Rufus. Dan and Nate had gotten even closer in the few weeks that had passed, and Blair could sense their bond as friends becoming something resembling what Nate used to have with Chuck, but it was different somehow. It somteimes felt more like a bromance than a regular kinship, and and Blair sometimes felt herself frozen out of the conversation. She didn't get too concerned about it though, it was nice to see the two of them talk and play video games while she just watched and listened silently.

Blair's friendship with Serena, however, was still very much in tatters. The only way she could receive news of her former best friend was to hear it from Nate; as Serena was spending more and more time between New York and Los Angeles. Serena had managed to create a group of friends in LA and had invited Nate down to meet them a couple of times, which caused Blair to start feeling like she was being moved on from. This immediately scared her, as she had never been without Serena as a friend and confidante, and it hurt to know that their parting was mostly her fault. She had made the necessary sacrifice though, in order to be with Dan. This didn't stop her from trying to call Serena every so often to apologise, and rescue their dying relationship.

In the last week of June, after both their college semesters were finished, the couple began to pack. They had made plans to go to see Blair's father at his chateau in France. Blair was excited to introduce Harold and Roman to her new boyfriend, but Dan was equally wary of the whole thing. It was the biggest step yet in their relationship, and would be a big test of their staying power as a couple.

Once they arrived in the french countryside, though, Dan took to their sorroundings like a fish to water. He enjoyed being out of the boring greyness of the city and loved the rustic feel of the chateau. The only thing that had hindred them at first was that Harold and Roman were away for the weekend when they had arrived, so the grounds were completely empty, bar Blair's pet cat, named Cat, which slinked around the many rooms, only appearing properly in the evening when the warmth of the fireplace enveloped the room the pair had taken up residence in.

Now it was daytime, and only a few hours before Harold and Roman would return from their trip to Paris, and Blair was getting increasingly frustrated and annoyed with her plight. Dan had insisted on trying to teach her how to drive, and the constantly winding nature of French roads was starting to grate on her, despite Dan's patient tutelage.

"Look, you'll never get it unless you relax, and try not to think so much. Eventually you have to do this without my help with the gears, you know." Dan said, shifting into first gear again, after another stall from Blair. The car was a classic french peugeot convertable, that was at least thirty years old, and the gears were rather rusty and hard to work with.

"I don't know why you persist with this stupidness, Dan, I've never had to drive an inch in my life so far, and I don't ever see myself having to in the future." Blair said, sighing noticeable, with her eyes fixed on the road in front of them. Dan just laughed slightly at her firm concentration. She had complained none-stop since they had started learning, but Blair would never give up, and Dan found it reluctantly amusing that she was so bad at it. He couldn't help it.

"What happens if we eventually move out of the city? You going to move your driver in with us?" Dan said, smiling.

"No, I assumed Darota would take me everywhere, and if she wasn't around...you could drive me." Blair said, offering an innocent smile. Dan just shrugged it off.

"Oh, no. You arn't getting off that easy, Blair. Also, don't you think Darota has enough on her shoulders, with Vanya and Anastasia?" Dan asked, shifting the gear again for her, as they sped up slightly. Blair gripped even mote tightly to the wheel, and shuffled her feet around on the peddles.

"Fine, fine. But I still don't see why we _must_ do this now. My father and Roman will be arriving soon. Don't you want to make a good impression for me?" Blair said, hoping for this particular lesson to be over.

Dan sighed this time. "Okay, just drive us back to the chateau. But I have a challenge for you. We can only finish if you manage to drive us back completely on your own. I'll help you by talking to you, but you have to use the gears, too." Dan replied, letting go of the shift, and letting Blair take a nervous hold of it. A few second went by as Blair struggled to turn the car around in a U-turn, and tried to speed the car up to a good pace, until they were steadily chugging along the country lane.

"Alright, when we're starting to gain speed, you want to _slowly _but firmly move the clutch down and and then...reach for the shift. Nice and easy. _Slowly...slowly...Nice and easy..." _

Blair glared at him for a second.

"Okay, I'll just be sitting here silently now." He said, shuffling in the passenger seat a little.

Blair started to nervously move the clutch down, as Dan watched her intently.

"Okay, here goes." Blair said to him, but most likely more to herself.

She pulled the shift into the higher gear and released the clutch. Dan breathed a sigh of relief. Blair smiled widely, and then smirked at Dan.

"See, I told you I could do it. Waldorf's are built from very expensive material, Humphrey. We learn fast. How long did it take you to learn that? A month?" She said, poking him in the side with her right hand, while holding onto the wheel with her left.

"Just remember who taught you all this stuff, Waldorf. I charge by the hour, you know." Dan said, smiling at her. He was proud of her accomplishment.

"My company alone should be payment enough, surely."

"Oh, I don't know, I'm sort of starting to get sick of you." Dan joked, winking at her.

"Sick of me? You better be kidding, because I'm close enough to just eject you from the car at high speed, you know." Blair said, as Dan held out his hand, and she held it.

"I think I'm safe. You'd be bored without me, anyway."

"The door handle is only feet away. I'll do it. It won't be pretty." Blair said, laughing slightly, and eyeing him. Dan grabbed his shades from the dashboard and put them on, as the sunlight hit them going around a corner.

"It's true. You'd be completely jaded out here without me as your boyfriend."

"I guess you're right, I mean, lets face it, I'd have nobody to mock and/or jibe. Which would only serve to pent up my excess annoyance at the world in general."

"So what you're saying is I'm like a mobile stress ball. If I weren't around you'd lose control and attack people in public for bad fashion decisions." Dan answered, relaxing in his seat slightly.

"Exactly. I'm glad we understand eachother, _darling." _Blair finished, as Dan feigned hurt. She just stuck out her tongue at him.

"But you know, you do have _some _other redeeming qualities."

"Oh, how kind of you to mention." Dan repiled, quickly.

"Well, you're a good cook, and there's no maid service here, for starters." She continued to joke.

"How nice. Well, thanks." Dan said, pretending to frown. He watched as Blair slowly noticed his reaction, and her face softened.

"Hey, cheer up, Dan. I am glad you're here, with me." She said, taking her eyes off the road, looking at him.

He gently squeezed her hand, and they both leaned in to kiss, but Blair jolted back around and tried to focus on the road. A corner had quickly rushed into view, and Blair had no time to react. Dan grabbed hold of the wheel as the car edged off the road and skidded sideways into rickety old fence, which hit the bumper with a jarring crash. Dan managed to right the drift of the tires though, before anymore damage was done, and they slowly came to a stop a few feet into a corn field. Dan surveyed the area, and then checked Blair. She was curled up into the best fetal position she could muster while still worriedly grasping the bottom of the steering wheel. Dan wanted to laugh. She looked hilarious. Her hair was now messed up, but other than that, neither of them were hurt.

"Are you actually insane, Humphrey?" Dan shouted, uncurling, and looking angry.

"What? How can this possibly be my fault?"

Blair checked the car for a few seconds, thinking. "I don't know... But it is."

Dan let out a purposefully loud laugh.

"Oh come on, Blair. You took your eyes off the road, not me."

"Well, I blame you entirely. You shouldn't be so pathetically cute." She said, getting out of the car and looking at the damage.

"Pathetically cute. Thats a new one. I'll take it, though." He answered, following her.

"You should."

Dan saw the dent on the bumper, and inspected it more closely with his hand. As he touched it, the dent gave way, and half the bumper dropped away from the other half.

"Oh you're _good. _Who taught you that one, Dan?" Blair said, sighing.

"We'll have to walk. It's not safe to drive an old car like this. Who knows what other damage is done?" Dan said, heading towards the fence, and the road.

"Dan."

He carried on walking up to the entrance to the field, looking at the damage to the gate.

"Dan?"

"What?"

"I can't walk." Blair said. Dan looked back at her.

"Of course you can. We're both fine."

"It's not that I can't use my legs, stupid. Here take a look." She directed, and hopped over to his side of the car, and into view. Dan moved closer. She held up her shoe. The heel was hanging by a thread. "Must have happened when we hit the fence."

"Oh yeah, look at that. What a shame." Dan said, turning around again and starting to walk. "Well, come on then." He added, with no sympathy in his voice.

"Hey, there's more." Blair said, hopping up to him, and showing him the bottom of her foot. There was a large bruise starting to form. Dan eyed it, quizzically. Blair shoved him a little, and gave him the familiar eyes that he had now gotten used to.

"Fine, fine. Get on. Don't get used to this, Waldorf." Dan said, offering his back to her. She jovially climbed on. They started to slowly make their way down the sunlit road, with dashes of trees on both sides.

"Oh, hey. I just thought of another use for you, Humphrey." Blair offered, smiling. She had both her arms wrapped around his shoulders and neck.

"Which is?"

"Human cab service. Walk a little faster, or we won't make it back for when my dad arrives."

"Oh wow. You're even a backseat driver when we're not driving. Go figure." Dan said, speeding up a bit.

* * *

It was now evening, and Dan was laying on the kingsize bed in Blair's room in the chateau, reading _'Game of Thrones'. _Neither of them had thought to pack enough books for the trip, and Dan had finished the novel he had wanted to read by the second week of their visit, so he had made a quick trip into the local town and bookstore the day before, and picked up one of the only books that was translated into English. Blair's usual contempt for his choice of literature had only risen when she had seen him reading it, however. She didn't understand the appeal of a book about war and peace; but Dan was taken aback at how much he had enjoyed it thus far. He flicked a page and wriggled a little on the bed to get a better position for reading.

"I never suspected you were such a nerd, Dan. Although it's not a wholly unsurprising development." Blair said, as Dan lowered the book so his eyes could see the door to the room. Blair was leaning on the doorway, with a glass of red wine in her hand. She was already dressed in a black robe that she generally wore in the evenings. He rolled his eyes at her, and went back to reading.

Harold and Roman had already arrived by the time Dan had shuffled his way back to the grounds from where they had crashed still with Blair on his back. From then on, Blair had spent the rest of the evening following her dad around like his own personal shadow. She seemed to regress slightly everytime he entered the room, and became a little more giddy and immature. With Blair attached at the hip with Harold, Dan and Roman had got along amazingly. Roman had immediately highlighted that he shared Dan's love of film noire, which had sparked a lengthy discussion into the subject. It wasn't until the food was ready and served that the four of them sat down to a have a group discussion.

After that, they had all wandered down to the large pond in the grounds, and sat down in one of the veranda's to drink wine and relax. The conversation had flowed so well, the wine started to be consumed a greater pace, and Dan had sensed Blair getting slightly drunk. That was the time Dan signalled to Harold that it was time for them to go up to their room for a while.

"Dan. Stop being so silent. It's no fun when you don't at least attempt to verbally spar with me." Blair said, stepping through the doorway and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm reading, and you're drunk." Dan said, lifting the book back over his eyes.

"I am _not_. Anyway, how come you suddenly care if I drink? You weren't opposed to me living a little while at college."

"Yes, but I'm trying to make a good impression with your dad. Which means I'm trying to stay sober." He said, stoicly.

Blair moved over to the bedside, and jumped onto the bed next to him. "Well, if we're not going to drink with my dad and Roman, we could always do something else, together." Blair said, moving closer to him, and kissing his neck, slowly.

"Blair, as much as I would... love to, we can't. Not right now, anyway."

"Fine. Read to me, then. But I'm still finishing my wine." Blair muttered, laying back on the pillows and grabbing the book she was currently reading, and passing it to him. Dan looked at the spine; it read _'Lord of the Flies'._

"Are you kidding?" Dan said, amused.

"I'm re-reading it. It'll help with my work at W when we get back to New York." She replied, as Dan put down his book and opened hers at the page she had saved it at.

"Haven't you got any other books I could read?" Dan protested.

"Ugh...I'm going back down to talk to my dad. You're impossible, sometimes." Blair said, getting up and starting to walk out of the room. Dan sprung up and followed, not wanting to get her angry.

He put an arm around her, as they rounded the corner and headed back towards the grounds. Dan leaned over and whispered into her ear. "You love me..."

"No, I don't..." Blair said, looking back at him, smirking.

"You so do."

Blair let a smile escape her for a second. This was a game they played too often. "No, but you love me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Waldorf." Dan said, as Blair halted and put both her hands on her hips.

"You do! You _wuv _me. _Wuv, wuv." _Blair joked, nudging him slightly, and poking him in the belly.

"Nope. Just admit it, Blair, you got the hearts for the Humphrey. You got the love for the lonely boy." Dan teased, putting both his arms around her and pulling her into his chest. She struggled a little, but to no avail. She gave up, and Dan leaned down to kiss her. She was slightly smaller than him without her heels on.

The kiss was deep and passionate, and Blair started to get a little flushed. She freed one of her arms, and started to reach towards him and downwards. Dan reluctantly stepped back a little. "Hey..._later._" He murmured. She relented and let go of him.

She shugged her shoulders as they began to walk again. "Fine, I do. You win." Blair conceded.

Dan laughed. "I knew it. The Humphrey appeal is too strong."

"Oh, shutup, Brooklyn." She finished, as the two of them sat back down to chat with Harold and Roman.

* * *

"Hey, Dan...how goes the trip?" Nate asked.

"Hey, bro. Good, so far." Dan answered, now laying on the bed again, with Blair listening in on the call.

"How's Blair?" Nate said, assuming she was there.

"I'm fantastic, Nate. Amazing. Loving every moment." Blair said, dramatically. She was now even more tipsy than before. Even Dan could feel the alcohol weighing on him. It was now late in the evening though, and both the couples had retired to bed.

"Good, good. So everything worked out fine in the end then, after all that drama?"

"End? Dude, I think this might just be the beginning, somehow." Dan pitched in.

"Oh? How do you figure?" Nate asked.

Blair leaned over and talked. "Nate, we both know you're still in trouble at school. There's no need to pretend everything is fine."

"Look, guys..."

"Nate, I think I speak for both of us when I tell you there's no way we are allowing you to leave college." Dan said, nodding at Blair, "If we have to beg, borrow or steal, we'll get you the money you need. We arn't willing to give up on you just yet."

A few seconds of silence crept over the three of them.

"I appreciate your help, really. But I'm working at the gallery all summer, and I think I may just make the cut." Nate said.

"Well, you know we're here if you need us, bro."

"Thanks. Anyway, lets talk about this summer. What are you two doing when you get back?"

"I think my dad wants us to visit the hamptons house for a few days with him and Lily, but after that, we're open to suggestions." Dan said, pulling Blair close to him, so she could lay her head on his shoulder.

"Well, I'm free for a while. I could come visit?"

"That sounds great. I'll call you when we land in New York, Nate." Blair said, pulling the covers over them both.

Nate sensed the hint, and smiled slightly. "Okay, well, enjoy the last few days there."

The both said their goodbyes, and Dan hung up the cell. "That is a good point he raised. What are we going to do this summer?" Blair asked, yawning.

"Oh, okay, I'm getting a say in this? Wow. Well, now you can drive, why don't we take a roadtrip?"

Blair narrowed her eyebrows and looked at him like he had said something ludicrous.

"What? You've never taken a roadtrip before?"

She shook her head. "No, Dan. I live in New York. Why would I want to go galivanting off across the country?"

"Oh, we're _definately _going now. You haven't lived until you've taken a Humphrey roadtrip." Dan said, getting momentarily excited. Blair just gawped at him, looking bewildered.

"Oh joy. This should be a barrel of laughs. Stuck in a car for at least a week, with just you and Nate. Mind if I go kill myself now, rather than later?" Blair said, turning over in the bed, and closing her eyes.

Dan had already grabbed his notebook from his travelbag, to start planning.

* * *

_AN: Okay, so thats this particular story finished completely. I understand this chapter wasn't really akin to the rest of the story, but I just wanted to have fun with it, and setup the storyline for the sequel. The title will be 'Footprints in the Sand'. It will be on a similar line to how this chapter went; much lighter in tone, and more comedic. It'll keep to the theme I've built throughout this story though, which is growing up._

_Thanks for reading the story. Hope you'll continue to follow my work. I'll be starting to the sequel soon._

_- Ryan_


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